Ministerial political consultations between Belarus and Belgium will be resumed after a seven-year break on June 23, Elena Shpakova, an advisor of the Europe directorate of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, said at a Belarusian-Belgian workshop on June 17. The ministerial consultations will focus on the development prospects of trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Belgium. “We are keen to intensify cooperation with Belgium. All prerequisites for that are in place in...

The heads of customs services of Belarus and Lithuania will carry out a joint inspection of Belarusian-Lithuanian border checkpoints on June 16-17, BelTA learnt from the press service of the State Customs Committee of Belarus (SCC). Chairman of the State Customs Committee Alexander Shpilevsky and Acting Director General of the Customs Department of the Finance Ministry of Lithuania Ramute Liupkeviciene are to visit checkpoints “Kotlovka-Lavorishkes”, “Kamenny Log-Myadininkai”,...

In line with Resolution No 818 of the Council of Ministers, in 2009 the GDP is projected to increase by 10-12% over 2008, in 2010 by 10-11% over 2009. The document is aimed at promoting the steady economic growth of Belarus, meeting innovation and investment targets. Under the document, in 2009 industrial output is prognosticated to increase by 10.5%-12.5%, in 2010 by 10-11%, capital investments by 23-25% in 2009 and 2010. Foreign trade in goods and services will ramp up by 16.2-17.7% in...

The implementation of the decree on procurement contracts helped save almost Br170 billion of budget funds in 2007, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated at a session focusing on the improvement of the system of procurement contracts. According to the head of state, the document became a kind of a pillar of the whole system of procurement contracts. The resolutions adopted earlier were brought in line with the decree. Alexander Lukashenko noted that before taking a decision on...

The OSCE will give assistance to the State Border Committee of Belarus in providing equipment to the analytical units of the border troops. A memorandum on prolongation and the plan of action to the international technical aid project “Development of the system of registration and analysis of unlawful acts on the state border of the Republic of Belarus” was signed in Minsk June 13. The major objective of the project is to provide technical assistance to the analytical units of the border...

The British business is showing a great interest in business opportunities in Belarus, Mr. Nigel Gould-Davies, the head of the British diplomatic mission in Minsk, told a press conference in Minsk on June 12. “British business is ready to invest in any sector of the Belarusian economy which is stable, predictable, transparent,” the Ambassador said. The diplomat praised the recent measures taken in Belarus to liberalise the economy. “If the liberalization process continues, the...

On behalf of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko a tractor Belarus has been presented to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President of India and Chairman of the upper chamber of the Indian parliament. BelTA learnt from the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the gift is a token of appreciation of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s contribution to the development of Belarusian-Indian relations. The tractor was handed over in New Delhi. The source said, during an official visit of the Belarusian head of...

In 2007 the direct influence of the instability of global financial markets on Belarus’ economy was limited, says an analytic review “Financial stability in the Republic of Belarus in 2007” presented by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB). Member of the NBRB Board of Directors, Head of the Central Banking Supervision Department Sergei Dubkov told BelTA, due to the low integration of Belarus’ financing into the global financial system the last year’s downturn on the...

An agency tasked with compensating for bank deposits of individuals will be set up in Belarus in line with the bill “Guaranteed compensation for bank deposits of natural persons” the House of Representatives of the National Assembly passed in the second reading. The bill determines legal foundation for providing compensations when the bank cannot fulfil its obligations to depositors independently. BelTA learnt from Ivan Mychko, Deputy Chairman of the Monetary Policy and Banking...

Around 1,000 people from 65 countries will take part in the 10th Russian Press Congress that opens in Moscow on June 11. The Congress has been organised by the Itar-Tass news agency and the World Association of Russian Press. Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan have sent the most representative delegations, BelTA was told in the World Association of Russian Press. At the invitation of the organising committee, attending the forum will be the chiefs of the news agencies – Itar-Tass partners...