MINSK, 13 July (BelTA) – The Minsk Oblast and the West Pomeranian Voivodeship intend to share the best practices used in local self-government. The intention was mentioned at the meeting of top executives of the Minsk Oblast administration with the Polish delegation on 13 July. Minsk Oblast Governor Boris Batura remarked that it is a promising avenue of cooperation between the provinces, the Minsk Oblast can learn from Poland, especially the formation of the local budget. Wladyslaw Husejko, the head of the Polish delegation, Marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, invited representatives of the Minsk Oblast administration to participate in an international economic forum of state administration agencies next year. In April 2010 the Minsk Oblast attended such a forum as an observer. “We hope that you will become full-fledged participants of the future event,” said Wladyslaw Husejko. In his words, the countries need to share the best self-government practices in order to assimilate the best. At the meeting a proposal was voiced to hold a forum of state administration agencies in Belarus in 2012 and to demonstrate achievements of the Minsk Oblast in this area, to discuss what the oblast has yet to improve. At present the main task is to create the conditions for interaction between the youth and businessmen of the two countries, said Boris Batura. He reminded that an agreement on cooperation between the provinces was signed on 8 April 2010 and that 14 agreements on cooperation between regions of the Minsk Oblast and regions of Poland had been signed. Among European Union states Poland is the main trade partner of the Minsk Oblast second only to Germany. In January-May 2010 the trade turnover of Minsk Oblast enterprises with Poland amounted to $130.8 million, 160% up on the same period of last year. Export reached $98.2 million (350% up), import - $32.6 million (13% up). The surplus totaled $65.6 million. Potash fertilizers make up 84.8% of all the exports to Poland. The exports also include common salt, mineral wax, casein, cattle hides. The Minsk Oblast primarily imported pork from Poland for further processing (27% of the total import), fresh and frozen vegetables and mushrooms (21.4%), flowers, trees, bushes (19.3%), fruits and berries (around 13%). Trade and economic relations between the Minsk Oblast and Poland noticeably improved in 2010. In the future the oblast intends to continue increasing the mutual trade. At present there are 67 companies with a share of Polish capital in the Minsk Oblast. They were registered in 1991-2010. Their authorized funds vary from $20,000 to $6 million. Their main business areas are wholesale and retail trade, trucking business, meat products manufacturing. The Belarusian-Polish joint venture Belwood has been manufacturing furniture and accompanying products in the Myadel Region since 1992. Since 2003 the joint venture Sniezka-Belpol has been manufacturing ready-to-use solvents and thinners for paints and varnishes in Zhodino. БЕЛТА
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