
Taking into consideration the drastic changes which have occurred in Serbian history over the past two decades, few would be surprised that Belarus-Serbia trade has been developing slowly. However, steady growth has been registered in recent years. Mr. Lukashenko believes that we can achieve more than the 65 million US Dollars turnover of last year. There are two ways of improving the situation; Minsk and Belgrade are ready to try every avenue, with state levers used alongside an agreement on free trade (signed in Minsk). “This document makes it possible to trade goods between Serbia and Belarus without paying customs fees — with a few exceptions. There are prospects for exporting to third markets too,” noted Mr. Dinkic. Belarus’ Vice Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko believes turnover could rise fivefold in coming years.
Preferential terms for entrepreneurs from our two states are vital. “As governments, we’ll definitely help these people to realise concrete projects,” Mr. Dinkic emphasised. Retail networks, pharmaceuticals, white goods, energy, direct flights and tourism are promising avenues for collaboration. One major project is the opening of an assembly line for Belarusian tractors in Serbia — to satisfy demand in Turkey, Bulgaria and Bosnia. Belgrade made a detailed proposal to Minsk Tractor Works last year and, soon, a group of experts will be heading to the Balkans to make an assessment. A business plan will then be compiled to determine potential mutual profit.
In Minsk, the Serbian guests visited various roadside services under construction along the ring road. Minsk Governor Mikhail Pavlov has invited them to participate.
Vitaly Vasiliev