Plans to boost economic integration between regions of Belarus, Russia
10:11, 28 June
Photo: the press service of the Economy Ministry
There are plans to strengthen economic integration between the regions of Belarus and Russia, First Deputy Economy Minister of Belarus Yuri Chebotar said at a meeting of the section “Cooperation between regions, districts and cities of Russia and Belarus as the most important factor in strengthening the Union State” that was held during the 10th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia in Ufa, BelTA has learned.
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According to Yuri Chebotar, the implementation of the Belarus-Russia program will help intensify interregional contacts between the two countries. “The work on this program started at the end of 2022. The program provided for the possibility of using a cross-border cooperation tool. The next step was the development of the concept of an interregional cooperation pilot program for Belarus and Russia. It proposes an alternative mechanism to promote regional development based on the ‘bottom-up' principle, that is, taking into consideration area-specific needs,” he said.
The Russian Federation suggests implementing the program in Bryansk Oblast, Kaliningrad Oblast, Leningrad Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Smolensk Oblast. As far as Belarus is concerned, all regions are ready to take part in the program.
"Such a tool can become a real helping hand for regional authorities in addressing pressing socio-economic issues. The range of mutual cooperation is quite wide and includes healthcare, education, tourism, support for and promotion of small and medium-sized businesses, and so on. The main source of funds at the initial stage will be the Union State budget. The regions will be able to pitch in their funds,” the first deputy minister noted.
“We expect that the implementation of joint projects within the framework of the Belarus-Russia program will help boost the integration of our regions, enhance and strengthen their production capacity, logistics, demographic and social potentials,” Yuri Chebotar summed up.
