MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) – Belarusian MPs should step up international cooperation in local governance, Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of Belarus' National Assembly Natalya Kochanova said as she closed the second session of the Council of the Republic, BelTA has learned.
“During this parliamentary session, we for the first time took part in high-level briefings organized by U.S. MPs. In line with the president's instruction, we held several meetings with senior officials of the Regional Office for Europe and the delegation of the World Health Organization to discuss effective ways to tackle the pandemic and to minimize its impact. The National Assembly expressed its point of view at the sessions of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and its standing commission on political affairs and international cooperation,” Natalya Kochanova said.
Belarusian MPs also held meetings to discuss cooperation with the parliaments of the USA, Canada, Uzbekistan, Finland, and Slovakia. “This year, Belarus will succeed Azerbaijan as a co-chair of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership. We should use this opportunity to enhance cooperation in local governance with the European Union. This will give us an opportunity to provide non-biased information about our country, activities of the government authorities, and the life of people as well as study foreign experience and best practices in local governance,” Natalya Kochanova stressed.
She noted that International Day of Parliamentarism is marked on 30 June and expressed hope that Belarusian senators will continue contributing to the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation and will help address modern challenges. She also pointed out that Minsk will host the 7th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia on 23-25 September. The forum will be centered around the historical heritage of the Great Victory as the basis for the development of social, economic, and spiritual ties between the peoples of Belarus and Russia. The forum is being organized in close cooperation with the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia. “We need to hold this event to a high standard in order to give an impetus to further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and Russia,” Natalya Kochanova added.
