MP: Belarusian People's Congress is a body of truly people’s power
of Smolensk Oblast.
A meeting of the working group on cooperation between Belarus and Smolensk Oblast was held at the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. Representatives of ministries and departments, leading enterprises of the country and the region were invited to the meeting. The parties exchanged information on areas of cooperation that can be developed jointly. The discussion focused on options for intensifying foreign trade relations, investment interaction, and cooperation. Specific attention was paid to mutual supplies of machinery, equipment, and spare parts, prospects for the development of agricultural production and construction projects, as well as the development of transport and road infrastructure. Cooperation in education and culture was also a focus.
The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Subbotin, assured that the northern region is open to projects with Smolensk Oblast. "It is a new era, an era of opportunities, albeit a challenging one, but it is precisely now that we can do a great deal for our regions and our countries – joint projects that will help us be more effective, more successful, more competitive, and allow us to live better," he said. The head of the northern region of Belarus called the official visit of the Smolensk Oblast delegation the beginning of a "great, more monolithic friendship that will bear fruit."
Smolensk Oblast is traditionally one of the main foreign trade partners for Vitebsk Oblast in Russia. The majority of representative offices of Vitebsk Oblast enterprises are located in Smolensk Oblast. The foreign trade turnover between Belarus and Smolensk Oblast in 2023 amounted to $4.4 billion, and $732 million for January-February of this year. Of this, Belarusian goods exported to the Smolensk region over the year amounted to $1.8 billion and $283 million for the two months of 2024.
The trade turnover between Vitebsk Oblast and Smolensk Oblast for 2023 was $212 million, and for January-February it was $35 million. Belarus purchases raw materials, components, and goods from Smolensk Oblast for $200-250 million more than it exports. This is due to the import of oil gases into Belarus, and their share in imports from Smolensk Oblast is about 85%. In addition to mineral products, Belarusian enterprises purchase polymer raw materials, components, technical fabrics and yarns, knitted fabric, and acquire engines, instruments, copper and aluminum wire, particleboard and fiberboard.
Since the beginning of the year, exports to Smolensk Oblast include cargo and passenger vehicles, special equipment, meat and dairy products, textile products, machine tools, and instruments.
"In the export structure, we are dominated by trucks and passenger special vehicles, meat and dairy industry products, textile products, machine tools, various instruments, metal products, and polymer group goods. At the same time, we see that the scope of cooperation is much broader; we have positions that we are practically not developing, for example, building materials, footwear, and medications. Given that this is of interest to the Vitebsk region, we have an open niche in pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, carpets, and linen fabrics," added Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Anzhelika Nikitina.
The supply of some products is carried out, but not directly, but through intermediaries or another region, she added, calling for the development of direct supplies. "We would like to discuss in more detail the creation of distribution networks in the Smolensk region, the opening of our own stores (which was discussed today during the visit to the Orsha Flax Mill) so that our products are cheaper and more competitive both in our market and yours. We are also ready to cooperate in terms of opening distribution networks in the Vitebsk region, and in Belarus as a whole. We are ready to cooperate in opening retail outlets in the Vitebsk region," said Anzhelika Nikitina.
She proposed developing cooperation in the light industry, including opening branded stores of enterprises of the Vitebsk region in Smolensk. The Deputy Chairman drew attention to the broad opportunities for cooperation in the supply of special and agricultural machinery.
Speaking about work in the agro-industrial complex, she noted that experience in working with large multifunctional agricultural holdings is important. "We have competencies in scientific potential and the development of flax cultivation, seed production, pedigree breeding, land reclamation, and so on," added Anzhelika Nikitina.
The official visit of the Smolensk region delegation to Vitebsk takes place on April 23. Earlier today, the guests visited some enterprises in the northern region, honored the memory of those who died during the Great Patriotic War at the memorial complex in honor of the Soviet liberator soldiers on Victory Square, and familiarized themselves with the thematic exhibition of Belarusian enterprises deployed at the regional executive committee.