MINSK, 22 May (BelTA) - Belarus plans to update the legislation governing energy conservation and efficiency, Chairman of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich said as he met with Markku Markkula, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), BelTA has learned.
According to Mikhail Myasnikovich, the theme of energy conservation and efficiency, which was discussed during the meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) in Minsk and that will later be considered at the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels, is very relevant “especially for us, the countries that have scant energy resources,” said.
“Belarus has established a certain system. It functions, but we believe that this is not enough, and our plan is to improve legislation on energy conservation and efficiency,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.
In general, the Speaker noted that Belarus attaches great importance to cooperation with the European Union. “Belarus' co-chairmanship in the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) and the holding of the CORLEAP Bureau meeting in Minsk reinforce, to a certain extent, the positive changes in the relationship which we have seen in recent years. We believe that this is just the beginning of a long journey, and we are interested in further developing the relations with the European Union,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.
As regards the regional policy and local self-government, he said that Belarus pays special attention to these matters. The Speaker drew attention to the fact that the country's regions have serious rights in fiscal policy, property and suffrage. In addition, the country respects the basic approach of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
On 22 May Minsk played host to the meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP). Belarus is represented in CORLEAP by the Council for Cooperation of Local Self-Government Bodies at the Council of the Republic. Belarus is co-chairing the body from October 2016 to September 2017.
