GRODNO, 31 May (BelTA) – More transactions will be made at this year's Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia than at the previous edition, Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Karanik told the media after a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov in Grodno on 31 May, BelTA has learned.
“Today we reviewed the course of preparations for the Forum of Regions which will be held in Grodno Oblast. We agreed that the forum will be a great opportunity to strengthen ties between our countries. We expect the volume of trade deals to be concluded this year's to exceed last year's when they amounted to $800 million," Vladimir Karanik said.
He also noted that Grodno Oblast has signed cooperation agreements with 27 regions of the Russian Federation. During the meeting, the parties discussed ways of expanding business cooperation, filling the agreements with specific content. "The Russian Federation is the main strategic partner of the Republic of Belarus. Despite the fact that Grodno is the westernmost region of the Union State, we are connected by very close economic, business and cultural ties with Russia. Russia accounts for more than 50% of the trade of Grodno Oblast. We have very extensive programs in the education, culture," Governor Vladimir Karanik said.
