Lukashenko: Belarus and Russia can make significant progress in import substitution

Belarus and Russia can make significant progress in import substitution. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with the Governor of Russia's Primorsky Krai, Oleg Kozhemyako, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.

"We see that all the problems that are currently arising in the economies of both Russia and Belarus are surmountable. And we are trying to overcome them. There is a certain slowdown. Unfortunately, bureaucratic (issues. - BELTA's note). We will discuss this. This concerns not only Primorsky Krai, but our cooperation with Russia as a whole. We will meet with the President of Russia in the near future. We will also discuss these issues. If we can resolve some minor issues, we can make significant progress in import substitution. This is the most important thing for us now. This year has already shown that we can cope. It just takes a little time, but we will cope. In this regard, I would like to hear your position," the Belarusian leader emphasized.

Welcoming Oleg Kozhemyako, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that he was pleased to meet him. "To hear again what has changed in our Far East, how the economic situation is, whether there are any developments in cooperation with neighbours. Naturally, what difficulties are there? And in this regard, how can Belarus lend a hand, help in this matter?" the Belarusian leader inquired.

He noted that the Belarusian side's attitude towards Primorsky Krai and the governor personally has not changed. "We are ready to welcome you at any time, in any weather. You should feel this. Your name is often mentioned at my meetings with the leadership of Russia and with governors who visit us. We find common ground," the President said.

Trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Primorsky Krai of Russia has been developing dynamically in recent years. Trade turnover increased from $17.3 million in 2020 to $32.7 million in 2021. Based on the results of 9 months of this year, it grew by almost 80% compared to the same period last year, reaching about $40 million. At the same time, exports more than doubled, reaching $32.5 million. Belarus supplies Primorsky Krai mainly with trucks, specific goods, equipment and devices for filtering liquids or gases, cheeses and curd, butter and cream, and plastic building components. The main imports from Primorsky Krai included parts and accessories for automobiles and tractors, medicines, flour from meat offal and fish, boron oxides, and electric accumulators.

Cooperation between the Russian region and many industrial enterprises of Belarus has been established. In particular, over 9 months of this year, the Minsk Electric Plant named after V.I. Kozlov exported power transformers worth $1.6 million to the region (7.4 times more than in the same period last year). In the summer, this Belarusian enterprise signed a memorandum with the Ussuriysk Automobile Repair Plant, which plans to organize the assembly production of power transformers in Primorsky Krai.

Source: belta.by