Unused potentials of free trade - National Exhibition of Serbian Economy opened in Minsk

(Valentin Čekanov and Slobodan Milosavljević)

- The National Exhibition of Serbian Economy was opened yesterday (May 26, 2009) in Minsk, the capital city of Belarus. and total of 62 companies will take part in it - the Ministry of Trade and Services of Serbia announced. The exhibition was opened by the trade ministers of Serbia and Belarus, Slobodan Milosavljević and Valentin Čekanov.

The ministers of the two countries estimated that the opportunities for growth of economic cooperation and trade exchange were great, especially because the Agreement on Free Trade was signed at the end of March. As they explained, that agreement almost completely liberalized the trade between the two countries, with the exception of small number of products such as sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, used motor vehicles and used automobile tires.

- By signing the Agreement, we created a very favorable ambience for our entrepreneurs to develop economic cooperation. It is up to them to use these privileges in the best possible way, and the first national exhibition of companies from Serbia should contribute to finding business partners in Belarus. Improvement of mutual trade is possible in agricultural and food industry, as well as in lumber, chemical and pharmaceutical industry - Milosavljević pointed out and especially pointed to possibility of cooperation in production of tractors and other vehicles, agricultural and building machines, as well as in production of machine tools and household appliances.

The Minister of Trade of Belarus, Valentin Čekanov, pointed out that there were great opportunities for export of Serbian products to the market of Belarus. In addition, according to this words, there are great chances and positive ambience for forming of joint ventures and realization of large investment projects.

With the aim of strengthening cooperation between Serbia and Belarus, "Agreement on forming business council" of the two states has also been signed in Minsk by Miloš Bugarin, the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, and Vasilij Romanov, the President of the Trade-Industrial Chamber of Belarus.

The three-day exhibition in Minsk, which is organized by the Ministry of Trade and Services and the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, will gather Serbian companies from the industries of civil engineering, building materials, furniture, agriculture and food, pharmaceutics and textile, clothing, footwear and consumer goods. The Exhibition will also comprise an investment conference whose aim is to present investment opportunities in Serbia.

Ministarstvo turizma i omladine Republike Srbije

Privredna komora Srbije

Ambasada Republike Belorusije Beograd

Valentin Čekanov

Slobodan Milosavljević

Minsk

National Exhibition of Serbian Economy Minsk

Ministry of Trade and Services of Belarus

Miloš Bugarin

Trade Industrial Chamber of Belarus

Vasilij Romanov