OREANDA-NEWS. August 05, 2008. The transport ministries of Belarus and Lithuania are set to sign an agreement to develop inland navigation. This measure is spelled out in Resolution No 1114 of the Council of Ministers of August 2, 2008, reported the Official website www.government.by.

According to the sea and river transport department of the Ministry of Transport and Communication of Belarus, the main goal of the document is to create the navigable conditions in the Neman River border areas in Belarus and Lithuania. As the depth of the river is not fully suitable for transportation of cargo, the waterway is expected to be used to transport passengers.

There will be a border checkpoint on the river, with eased border crossing procedures. “All these measures will promote water tourism in the Neman River,” says the ministry.

“Belarus will notify Lithuania of the readiness to sign the agreement. It is expected to be concluded by the next navigation season,” the department informed. The work on developing this part of the Neman River is planned to be financed from the national budget. The volume of financing has not been specified yet.

The ministry also added that the transport ministries of Belarus and Lithuania have been working on this agreement in line with the intergovernmental agreement on inland navigation of May 25, 2007.