8 July, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. A joint footwear production program is planned to be implemented in the Union State. This was announced today by the State Secretary of the Union State, Pavel Borodin, in response to a question from a BELTA correspondent, during his participation in the events of the XX International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk". With the aim of discussing the new project, the State Secretary of the Union State visited SP OOO "Marko", where he held negotiations with the company's General Director, Nikolai Martynov, familiarized himself with the products manufactured, and the organization of the work process. "This is a wonderful, exemplary enterprise that operates stably, producing high-quality, necessary products," noted Pavel Borodin. He emphasized that the main objective of the new program is to create jobs, utilize existing resources, and produce in-demand goods. "We need to produce at least 150 million pairs of shoes per year. We have everything for this: fur, accessories, people," stated the State Secretary. "We have already discussed the project. The next step will be to prepare a report, the issue will be considered by the Councils of Ministers of Belarus and Russia, then by the Council of Ministers of the Union State, after which a corresponding program will be adopted," added Pavel Borodin. In his opinion, this will happen next year. As noted in a conversation with a BELTA correspondent, the General Director of SP OOO "Marko", Nikolai Martynov, said that the practical implementation of the discussed union program could be the creation of a joint Belarusian-Russian holding company in the footwear industry, which would include a number of industrial enterprises in Belarus and Russia, including accessory, leather, and other factories. "Overall, this is a promising initiative that will contribute to the further integration of our peoples," concluded Nikolai Martynov, adding that there is no stronger and more reliable structure in the world than a good economic union. -0-

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