Lithuania is ready to invest about $1bn in Belarusian economy

According to the Lithuanian Prime Minister, local companies asked him to inform the Belarusian Government about their readiness to invest in Belarus.

The meeting also focused on the trade-economic cooperation between the two countries. In particular, the parties agreed to promote creation of joint Belarusian-Lithuanian ventures. The Lithuanian party was interested in the energy saving experience of Belarus. Issues on transport cooperation and visa fees for Belarusians in 2008 were high on the agenda as well.

When speaking to journalists Sergei Sidorsky said that the parties touched upon all the issues he wanted to discuss with his Lithuanian counterpart.

The Prime Ministers agreed to construct an aldehyde tanning tar factory in Belarus. “This goes in line with the strategy of upgrading the country’s woodworking companies,” Sergei Sidorsky said. In addition, a particle board manufacture will be built too.

The Lithuanian party was interested in energy-saving and energy-safety programmes implemented in Belarus and the country’s experience in cutting the GDP energy intensity. Belarus is ready to share this experience with Lithuania. In turn, the latter will share experience in using bio fuel.

The Prime Ministers also discussed development of power engineering. Lithuania is set to construct a nuclear power station in close vicinity with Belarus by 2015. According to Sergei Sidorsky the plant will use water resources of the Vitebsk oblast. Therefore Belarus believes that it also can take part in the project. “I asked the Lithuanian Government to take this fact into consideration and I found understanding here,” Sergei Sidorsky said.

The Ignalina nuclear power station will be closed in 2009. Belarus and Lithuania have agreed on setting up a working group to elaborate the issue on a depository construction. The sides discussed the construction of the depository near the Belarusian border. “Belarus prioritizes its ecological security in the issue. The experts of the working group insist that all necessary measures are undertaken to ensure such security,” the Belarusian Premier said.

After the construction of the new nuclear power plant in Lithuania, electric energy will be transited to the EU countries via the Belarusian energy networks what would be more advantageous for Lithuania than to construct own energy networks worth of $300-500 million.

The Prime Ministers considered cooperation in the transport area. Over the eight months of 2007 the amount transport services almost reached the 2006 level. Nearly five million tonnes of the Belarusian cargo were transported through the Lithuanian ports. Lithuania shows great interest in Belarus to use the Klaipeda port to the maximum. The talks with the participation of the Confederation of Lithuanian Manufacturers and the owner of the Klaipeda port considered the opportunities of Belarus to acquire a share holding and an access to the terminal.

The sides also agreed on holding a conference with the participation of representatives of the transport ministries of the two countries, the association of haulers of Belarus, customs services and cargo haulers. “It is necessary to consider all the issues including the one on concentrating major transport flows via the two countries and explain the opportunities of Belarus and Lithuania to transport haulers,” Sergei Sidorsky noted.

After Lithuania joins the Schengen Zone Agreement, a Lithuanian visa will cost ?60. The two parties reached the agreement to simplified visa procedures for some categories of citizens, i.e. for children under 18, those who go to Lithuania on recuperation, people affected by the Chernobyl catastrophe and people living in the border zone. For them visa fees will remain the same.

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