MINSK, 22 January (BelTA) - The potential of trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Serbia is significant in various areas: from supplies of Belarusian dairy products and timber, passenger transportation to the increase of mutual tourist traffic, Minister of the Serbian Government, co-chairman of the Belarusian-Serbian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation Nenad Popovic told the media after the meeting with Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of Belarus Artur Karpovich, BelTA has learned.
A delegation from Serbia is on a visit to Belarus. Business meetings at different levels mark the resumption of active cooperation between the two countries in a number of areas, primarily in the economy. After January 2019, the Belarusian-Serbian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation put its work on pause. Nenad Popovic was appointed its co-chairman on Serbia’s behalf in December 2024. The Belarusian part of the commission is headed by Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Artur Karpovich.
“The meeting with the Belarusian counterpart was fruitful. Mr. Karpovich raised a lot of practical issues. First of all, we agreed to hold a meeting of the intergovernmental commission in the first half of 2025,” Nenad Popovic said. “I think it is time we, the ministers, fulfilled the instructions of our presidents. The potential for growth of trade between the countries is huge. We are not yet satisfied with the current level of economic contacts, which is not the case with political and even fraternal relations between the two countries. In this regard, the global goal is to increase trade.”
The Serbian minister also outlined how this can be achieved. It was emphasized that Serbian consumers love Belarusian dairy products, and our timber products are in demand in the market. The list also included Belarusian machinery: trucks, tractors, buses, electric buses, which, as Nenad Popovic noted, were in high demand among Serbian buyers before the sanctions were imposed. Mutual interest can be found in the area of digitalization and new technologies. Serbia is strong in the area and is ready to offer their solutions to Belarusians. The same is true about Belarusian IT specialists. There is also demand for cooperation in machine tool building.
The parties do not neglect relations in the tourism sector. Nenad Popovic agrees that tourism is one of the fastest growing areas of economy in the world, so the prospects for cooperation in this area are significant. An obstacle to this may be the lack of direct air service between Minsk and Belgrade. As the Serbian minister adds, there are difficulties in its resumption. Although the Serbian partners cannot confidently say that everything will succeed, they promise to work in this direction.
“Even despite some difficulties in logistics, mutual tourism is developing. Last year, about 6,000 Serbian tourists visited Belarus and about 8,000 Belarusian tourists visited Serbia. I am sure we can increase this figure. We will task our tourism ministers both in Serbia and Belarus,” the co-chairman of the Belarusian-Serbian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation emphasized.
In turn, Belarusians may be interested in supplies of Serbian seeds of agricultural crops, as well as in many other areas. The parties promise to formalize all proposals for mutual cooperation in the draft roadmaps. According to Deputy Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Nina Yemelyanova, a version of the roadmap will be prepared by Belarus by 1 March, after which it will be submitted to Serbia for approval. The two countries plan to sign the document during the meeting of the Belarusian-Serbian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation.
“We see Serbia's interest in Belarusian-made agricultural machinery, particularly tractors and elevators,” Nina Yemelyanova said. “Nenad Popovic notes that construction is rapidly developing in both their and our countries. Now they buy elevators in other countries, but after visiting the exhibition My Belarus and getting familiar with our products, they are ready to consider the option of buying Belarusian elevators. They are satisfied with both price and quality. Besides, the delegation is interested in electric buses and trams. We also invited them to visit our upcoming exhibitions of military equipment and Belagro.”
Serbia is a key economic partner of Belarus in the Balkans. Since both countries are currently the leaders of economic growth in their respective regions, there are significant opportunities for building up mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation despite external obstacles. There is good potential in industrial cooperation and the innovation sector.
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