Export through Latvia
Latvia is ready to consider the proposal of Belarus concerning the purchase of the port infrastructure in Ventspils, according to Dainis Freimanis, the first secretary at the embassy of Latvia in Belarus
He states, that this issue will be discussed in September in Riga at a session of the Belarusian-Latvian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation. The Belarusian party is going to come out with its well thought-through proposals. “Latvia is interested in increasing transit through its ports and the project will surely be implemented if the two sides find a mutually acceptable way of fulfilling it,” said Dainis Freimanis. “Both sides show interest in developing cooperation in this sphere,” he added. It needs to be said, that, for the time being, specialists consider several ways of acquiring the Latvian port infrastructure. Belarus can sign a long-term lease agreement with Latvia, can buy the infrastructure or the two sides may start a joint venture company.
According to the Belarusian party, in January-February 2007, the transit of goods through Latvian ports increased by 20 per cent. In 2006, over 3 million tons of potash fertilizers and roughly 8.5 million tons of oil products were transported through the ports of Latvia. Nearly 80 per cent of the Belarusian exports transported by sea pass through Latvia and predominantly through the sea-ports of this country.
