MINSK, 19 December (BelTA) – As much as €30 million will be invested in the reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities in Lida, Orsha, and Polotsk, the press service of the Belarusian government told BelTA.
The relevant project agreements and grant agreements were signed in presence of Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Kalinin, the ambassadors of Sweden and Germany to Belarus, the head of the embassy subdivision of Finland, and the minister-counsellor of the embassy of Lithuania at premises of the Council of Ministers of Belarus on 19 December. The project agreements and grant agreements had been prepared as part of the implementation of the credit agreement between Belarus and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development within the framework of the second stage of the Belarusian water sector framework.
The project's implementation will be an important step in continuing the advancement of cooperation with the European Union in environmental protection. The project is of massive social and environmental importance for Belarus. It will allow reconstructing wastewater facilities in Lida, Orsha, and Polotsk in addition to improving the quality of treatment of wastewater, thus reducing the emission of pollutants into bodies of water. Investments in excess of €30 million will be raised to implement the project, including over €10 million in free technical aid.
So far the EBRD has invested about €120 million in Belarus, with half of the sum invested in 2016. The figures presuppose a positive potential in Belarus-EBRD partnership. Taking into account the quite acceptable lending terms, negotiations are underway to attract EBRD investments in order to improve the quality of drinking water.
During the event the sides determined future steps aimed at securing tighter and mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
