MINSK, 26 July (BelTA) - An interdepartmental working group has been set up to ensure Belarus' Presidency in the Central European initiative in 2017, reads a statement posted on the website of the Belarusian Government.
The group is led by Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov. It will draw up a program of activities of Belarus' Presidency and will be also dealing with the issues of organizational, financial and logistical support.
The deputy chairs of the group are First Deputy Prime Minister Vasily Matyushevsky and Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei. The working group is composed of representatives of the Economy Ministry, Finance Ministry, Industry Ministry, Transport Ministry, Education Ministry, the Ministry of Nature and Environmental Protection, Construction and Architecture Ministry, National Bank, National Investment and Privatization Agency and other departments.
If necessary, the group will attract specialists of the government bodies and other organizations subordinate to the government, regional authorities and Minsk City Hall.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to provide organizational support to the interdepartmental working group.
The Central European Initiative is a regional organization founded in 1989 by Italy, Austria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. At present the CEI unites 18 countries (Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine). Belarus joined the CEI in 1996.
