NEWS
Prime Ministers of Belarus and Latvia meets on state border
 On July 11, Prime Ministers of Belarus and Latvia Sergei Sidorsky and Ivars Godmanis met on the Belarusian-Latvian border in the border checkpoint Urbany-Silene. According to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the Belarusian and Latvian prime ministers discussed the development of trans-border, trade, economic and investment cooperation. They also considered the improvement of the border infrastructure, the cooperation in transport area, the expansion of the legal-treaty base, the implementation of the joint projects in energy and industrial cooperation.
Attending the meeting were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Latvia Alexander Gerasimenko and Head of Prime Minister’s Secretariat Mikhail Myatlikov, Latvian Prime Minister’s counselors Ilze Petersone and Vasily Melnik.
Belarus, Turkey have huge potential to boost trade, Vladimir Semashko says
 Belarus and Turkey have a huge potential to boost bilateral trade, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko noted during a meeting with a Turkish delegation led by Turkish Secretary of State for External Trade Tuncer Kayalar. According to Vladimir Semashko, for the past five years, trade between Belarus and Turkey quadrupled. “It is too little for such countries as Belarus and Turkey,” the Vice Premier highlighted.
“However, our countries have a huge potential to increase trade in the next two or three years. The time is favourable to make this quickly and efficiently,” the official noted.
Vladimir Semashko also noted that the Belarusian economy has been rapidly developing. Within the last four years, Belarus’ GDP was up 9.7% on average. This year GDP will increase 10.4%. GDP is projected to grow by 10-11% a year for the next several years. Capital investment increase at the pace of 25% annually.
In 2007, the trade between Belarus and Turkey made up $206.8 million (35% up). The Belarusian exports hit $67.8 million (75% up). The Turkish imports reached $139 million (21% up). In 2008, Belarus had a surplus in trade with Turkey for the first time in the past five years. In January-April 2008, Belarus had a surplus at the amount of $17.2 million (over the same period 2007, Belarus had a deficit at the amount of $12.7 million). The bulk (90%) of Belarusian exports to Turkey is stock steel, potash fertilizers, flax linen, synthetic and artificial thread, synthetic fibre.
As of January 1, 2008, there were 27 companies with Turkish capital in Belarus including 4 joint ventures and 23 Turkish companies
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© 2005-2008 Staff of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus
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Information support from the Republican Unitary Enterprise Belarusian News Agency
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There are no obstacles to attracting investments in Belarus, First Deputy Economy Minister Piotr Zhabko told reporters after a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers on August 19. The session chaired by Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky discussed the results of the investment activity in Belarus in H1 2008. According to Piotr Zhabko, there are no economic reasons in Belarus for failing to meet the investment target which is to increase investments up as against last year.
In line with Decree No 1213 signed by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus on August 22 2008, the customs procedures for declaring export commodities have been simplified.
A man, his wellbeing, is the centrepiece of the entire state policy.
Belarus will send humanitarian aid to the people of South Ossetia affected by the military conflict, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky said at the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 14.
Belarus will provide humanitarian aid to South Ossetia as part of the efforts meant to alleviate consequences of the humanitarian catastrophe. The decision is laid down by the Council of Ministers’ resolution No 1162 of August 13, 2008.
Belarus’ practices used to calculate and pay taxes should meet European ones, said Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky at an out session dedicated to simplifying the national taxation system on August 7.
Gomselmash Company will start to produce combine harvesters Polesie GS14 in 2009, First Deputy Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said.