MINSK, 19 May (BelTA) – Belarus and Serbia have discussed the development of trade and economic cooperation at a Belarusian-Serbian business forum in Novi Sad, representatives of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI) told BelTA.
In his welcoming remark Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mikhail Myatlikov noted that the Belarusian private sector has genuine interest and concrete proposals on advancing cooperation and realizing joint projects with the Serbian side. A considerable potential seems to be available for stepping up bilateral interaction in such areas as logistics, veterinary medicine, wholesale trade, science, food industry, meat and dairy production.
Mikhail Myatlikov underlined that the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia are intent on providing all kinds of support to the businesses, which are interested in partnership. The two chambers have set up a Belarusian-Serbian business council, which sessions take place within the framework of sessions of the Belarus-Serbia intergovernmental commission. “We are open to cooperation and believe that the format of the business council is the best one for discussing emerging issues, for enhancing the effectiveness of business ties between representatives of Belarus and Serbia. Particularly in current conditions for doing business. We are ready for organizing events in this format,” the official noted.
Apart from that, he invited Serbian enterprises to visit Belarus and to participate in international exhibition events, which are scheduled to take place this year.
Mikhail Myatlikov said: “On behalf of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry I can assure you that we will do our utmost to provide the necessary support and assistance to Serbian and Belarusian companies.”
Participants of the business forum discussed promising avenues of advancement of trade and economic interaction. Overviews of investment opportunities of the city and the free economic zone Novi Sad were presented as well as the preferences available to companies residing in Belarusian free economic zones, in particular, FEZ Grodnoinvest. The export potential of Belarusian companies, which representatives are taking part in the visit to Serbia, was also outlined.
An agreement on cooperation between FEZ Grodnoinvest and FEZ Novi Sad was signed within the framework of the forum.
After the plenary session ended, representatives of the private sector continued work in the format of bilateral business talks focusing on such areas as agriculture, petrochemical industry, industrial production, machine building, export and import operations.
The event took place ahead of the opening of Belarus’ national exposition at the international agricultural expo Agricultural Trade Fair Novi Sad.
Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mikhail Myatlikov, Director of the Novi Sad Regional Chamber of Commerce Olivera Simovic, First Deputy Chairwoman of the Minsk City Executive Committee Nadezhda Lazarevich, Head of the Center for Asia, Russian Federation, and the CIS of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia Jovana Majstorovic, Honorary Consul of Belarus in Novi Sad Dragoljub Svonja, and representatives of over 50 Belarusian and Serbian enterprises and organizations took part in the business forum.
On 20 May the Belarusian delegation will continue the business trip to Serbia by working at the expo Agricultural Trade Fair Novi Sad.