GRODNO, 2 September (BelTA) – A roadmap to guide cooperation between Grodno Oblast and Tsentralny District of the Russian city of St Petersburg was signed in Grodno. The document was signed as a St Petersburg delegation talked to top officials of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee, BelTA has learned.
According to Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Karanik, trade between Grodno Oblast and St Petersburg exceeds $51 million. Grodno Oblast's export shipments are on the rise in comparison with last year. St Petersburg's share in export to the Russian Federation exceeds 6%. It is a significant figure. Grodno Oblast exports not only Belarusian foods, which enjoy well-deserved respect among St Petersburg residents but also products of the petrochemical industry, metalworking and woodworking industries. The choice of exports is very extensive. Apart from that, Grodno Oblast and St Petersburg cooperate in culture, education, and healthcare.
Vladimir Karanik also noted: “Today we've said that we do not fully use the potential of our cooperation and there are growth possibilities across the board. This is why we've signed the roadmap on cooperation with St Petersburg's Tsentralny District. It is a visiting card of the city. The document provides for cooperation in humanitarian affairs but we've also discussed further invigoration of cooperation in economic affairs, the exchange of delegations at the level of the oblast with St Petersburg top officials and representatives of the private sector of our regions for the sake of finding points of contact and business development. It applies to the management of solid municipal waste, processing of secondary material resources, road construction, sales of municipal vehicles, and the best urban economy practices.”
In turn, after the meeting St Petersburg Vice Governor Oleg Ergashev remarked that a package of programs had been sketched out between Belarus and the Russian Federation. “It is related to the development of our joint production sector, pharmaceutical industry, and automobile manufacturing. Apart from that, our interaction with regard to public and humanitarian ties is improving. Our cooperation is also advancing in the area of social programs,” he said. “Today we've discussed and signed a roadmap on cooperation between Grodno Oblast and St Petersburg's Tsentralny District. We are talking about possibilities for joint interaction in the area of education, social programs, and utilities industry. The current accomplishments will become stronger now. We should celebrate all our common holidays together and actively interact at the level of our leaders.”
Oleg Ergashev also added that three major pharmaceutical companies had already established tight interaction with Belarus' pharmaceutical industry. The Belarusian companies Amkodor, MTZ, and MAZ also actively interact with St Petersburg already. “We've bought over 1,000 buses and electrobuses. We are considering designing an ambulance based on MAZ vehicles. The possibility of buying automobiles for the Social Policy Committee of St Petersburg is also on the agenda. As for the social sphere, I've met with Leningrad blockade survivors, who live in Belarus. Those are very active people. They are in good shape and are ready to come to us for all events. It allows young people to remember and preserve the historical memory that connects us,” the St Petersburg vice governor concluded.
