The possibilities of economic cooperation in the Union State need to be expanded - Grigory Rapota

In the Union State, it is necessary to expand the opportunities for economic cooperation. This opinion was shared by the State Secretary of the Union State, Grigory Rapota, with journalists on the sidelines of the XXV International Arts Festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk".

According to the State Secretary, one of the current issues of bilateral cooperation is the coordination of economic policies of Belarus and Russia.

"We need to create an economic basis, which in turn will allow for a broader development of cultural ties," Grigory Rapota is convinced. - Any cultural projects require money, and money does not appear out of thin air, it comes from economic opportunities. And we need to pay the closest attention to this."

The State Secretary emphasized that he in no way downplays the importance of cultural ties. "Moreover, we are expanding them wherever possible. But we need to create fundamentally different basic conditions for economic ties. Only in this way will we be able to eliminate the gaps in economic relations that have arisen in recent years," said Grigory Rapota. Today, the Union State Day is being held at "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk". Grigory Rapota met with the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, took part in the flower-laying ceremony at the memorial on Victory Square and a press conference, visited the Velikolechansky orphanage, and visited the museum-estate of Ilya Repin "Zdravnevo", where a plein air painting session for young artists of Belarus and Russia is taking place. At 6:00 PM, the gala concert of Belarusian and Russian pop stars "Vitebsk Gathers Friends" will begin on the Summer Amphitheater stage, followed at 10:00 PM by the program "The Union State Invites...", featuring the A. Alexandrov Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army, Larisa Dolina, Nadezhda Babkina, Vitold Petrovsky, Ksenia Dezhneva, the "Syabry" ensemble, Nikolai Skorikov, and others.

Alena Tikhonova - BELTA.