By Olga Belyavskaya
Terms for Belarusian-Italian collaboration in the transport sphere have been discussed in Minsk by Belarus’ Transport and Communications Minister, Ivan Shcherbo, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Belarus, H.E. Mr. Arnaldo Abeti.
In particular, Mr. Shcherbo is keen to see liaison in developing Belarusian road facilities. Four-lane motorways connecting Minsk with regional centres are among the plans, alongside other major road projects. The Minister underlines that Belarus is ready to liaise in attracting loans from Italian banks and in the construction, exploitation and maintenance of roads under concessionary conditions.
The Italian diplomat has promised to bring Belarusian proposals to the heads of Italian banks and stresses that Belarus has huge economic potential. He believes there are plenty of opportunities for co-operation and adds that many Italian companies are keen to find out more about the Republic. The Ambassador also hopes that ever more favourable conditions for foreign businesses in Belarus will promote the attraction of investments into the transport sphere, as well into the economy as a whole.
Prospects for collaboration between Italy and Belarus include international road transportation and aviation. The two sides also discussed how the railway administrations of Belarus and Italy may work together and how Belarusian Railways might liaise with Finmeccanica Concern.
