Prospects of trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and the Republic of Serbia will be discussed at the sixth meeting of the inter-parliamentary Belarusian-Serbian commission for trade and economic cooperation in Belgrade on 18 January 2012. It will be chaired by Belarus Trade Minister Valentina Chekanova and Vice Premier of Serbia Verica Kalanovic, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Trade Ministry.
The bilateral trade cooperation has been vibrant over the past years. Thus, over the ten months of 2011 the mutual trade totaled $115.7 million, up 35% as compared with the same months in 2010. Belarusian exports made up $68.9 million (up 30%), imports from Serbia – $46.8 million (up 43%). Belarus posted trade surplus of $22 million.
Mutually beneficial relations between the two countries are promoted by successful cooperation in the industry and agriculture. In particular, on 28 March 2011 a company was set up in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina to assemble Belarusian tractors MTZ.
There are plans to produce 1,000 tractors in the first year, and gradually increase the annual production to 3,000 units of equipment. A total of 816 tractors and 249 tractor kits were shipped in 2011. The production of buses based on the MAZ-203 chassis running on natural gas was launched in Serbia in 2010.
The upcoming talks in Belgrade will contribute to maintaining the momentum in bilateral cooperation and reinforce the positive trends in the Belarusian-Serbian relations, according to the Trade Ministry.
Belarus’ major exports to Serbia are trolleybuses, buses, trucks, tractors. Belarus’ imports from Serbia are plastic coverings for floors and walls, polymers of propylene, fittings for pipes, paints and varnishes, electric batteries.
Source News.belta
