Belarus considers to be an important investment partner, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said at the first Belarusian-Polish economic summit in Warsaw on June 24. 

“We believe is one of the important investment partners and are ready to provide the necessary support to serious investors in implementing long-term projects in ,” said the Vice Premier. The geographical proximity makes interests of the two countries closer in main strategic areas, including trade, investments, transit and energy security. A while ago Belarus ’ cooperation with in this area reached the highest level among European Union countries, remarked Andrei Kobyakov. The achievement is a common asset which should be preserved and increased, transformed into concrete projects, which are beneficial for both countries. 

According to the Vice Premier, there are plans to promote cooperation in power engineering. The Belarusian electrical corporation Belenergo and the Polish company Kulczyk Holding have signed an agreement on cooperation for building a coal-fired power plant in Zelva ( Grodno oblast). It will use Polish coal. It is a major infrastructure project that will be interesting for partners in the Eastern Partnership, believes Andrei Kobyakov. An agreement has been reached to jointly build a power line Ross-Narew. “It is a very important project, too. It can be interesting for our partners not only in Poland and Belarus,” stressed the Vice Premier.

In present complicated conditions the Belarusian economy is in a manageable state and is developing steadily. In January-May the GDP growth totalled 1.4%. Construction volume is on the rise. Agriculture demonstrates a good pace. “In the present situation we have managed to preserve stability in most branches of the economy and use the time to enhance the reforms aimed at liberalising the economy and improving the business climate,” said the Vice Premier. He remarked that the second Belarusian-Polish economic summit is supposed to take place in Minsk or another Belarusian city in 2010. The country is also ready to welcome Belarus’s expo in 2011.

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