Krasnodar Krai Governor informed what Belarus is interesting with for Kuban
Belarus and Krasnodar Krai are entering a new level of trade and economic co-operation – as stated by the Russian region’s Governor, Veniamin Kondratiev, after his today’s meeting with President Aleksandr Lukashenko
In his conversation with the Belarusian leader, Mr. Kondratiev stressed that Russia and Belarus faced common challenges and difficulties and should cope with them together.
“When we faced challenges, I analysed where to find a partner that would enable us to primarily preserve our high-tech agriculture. That was important since Kuban should further remain a guarantor of food security and the country’s breadbasket. I then found no other partner except Belarus. Naturally, we came then, beginning to build our relationships a year and a half ago,” the Russian guest said.
Mr. Kondratiev stated that, in the legal sense, Belarus and Kuban have been co-operating for two decades, “But we have reached a new level of trade and economic relations only recently. Last year, our trade turnover increased by more than half and exceeded 40bn Russian Roubles. It continues to grow at present.”
In his talk with journalists, the Krasnodar Krai Governor stressed that the expansion of co-operation is now in focus, “Thanks to our partnership with the Minsk Tractor Works, Gomselmash and Minsk Automobile Plant, we are confident that the high-tech agro-industrial complex of the region will remain to be such, and the production facilities – that we are jointly developing within the framework of our industrial co-operation (i.e. the assembly of MTZ tractors and, since recently, of MAZ-based harvesters and trailers) – act as a concrete implementation of our plans.”
Mr. Kondratiev also spoke about deepening co-operation in the construction sector, “Belarusian builders have already started designing and will soon begin construction of a school in Krasnodar. We have agreed that a delegation from Belarus will come to us and explore the possibilities of expanding our liaisons, building schools, sports complexes, and other social facilities. A residential district is also likely to be built.”
According to the Russian guest, Krasnodar Krai, as an agricultural region, is interested in the selection of sugar beet, sunflower, and corn seeds. “We also agreed that we will develop this direction together with Belarusian science,” he added.
There are also plans to upgrade the fleet of passenger vehicles, and Mr. Kondratiev explained, “The south of Russia is an eco-friendly region, and public transport using traditional fuel is already a thing of the past. We will replace it evolutionarily with Belarusian-made electric vehicles. The possibility of switching Sochi public transport to electric buses has been discussed with the President of Belarus.”
Summing up the results of today's meeting with Aleksandr Lukashenko, the Krasnodar Krai Governor stressed, “All things are difficult before they are easy. Our relations are based primarily on friendship, mutual respect and common history, and we must preserve and multiply all this today.”
