OREANDA-NEWS. February 18, 2010. Belarus and Moldova are interested in expansion of the trade and economic cooperation, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Ivan Bambiza noted during the opening of the 12th Belarus-Moldova Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation in Minsk on 16 February.

The Vice Premier said that Moldova is an important trade partner of Belarus. “We noted the mutual interest in boosting the trade and economic cooperation and its mutually beneficial character,” Ivan Bambiza said.

The Deputy Prime Minister paid special attention to the positive tendency for increasing the trade volumes between the two countries for several years. This growth has been achieved due to the work of the Belarus-Moldova Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation to a wide extend, the official underscored. “I believe that the agreement on economic cooperation for 2010-2013 and its program will promote the partnership development between our countries,” Ivan Bambiza noted.

Ivan Bambiza noted that the economic crisis had a negative impact on the trade between the two countries in 2009. The trade was reduced by 20.6% as against 2008, he said. “At the same time, the supplies of the Moldovan goods to Belarus were reduced by 8.6% only. Belarus imported about one fourth of the total Moldovan wine export,” the Vice Premier underscored.

“The main thing for us is to determine those decisions which will promote the development of trade between our countries, an increase in mutual supplies of goods, the expansion of production cooperation, the development of joint companies,” the Vice Premier added.

In turn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar noted that Belarus remains one of the most important partners of Moldova. “We believe that the session of the intergovernmental commission will help us find the most efficient ways of the cooperation of the two countries, reach the new level of the development of the Belarusian-Moldovan economic cooperation,” the Moldovan Vice Premier underscored.

The agreement between the governments of Belarus and Moldova on economic cooperation in 2010-2013 was signed in Minsk.

The document was signed by Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Ivan Bambiza and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Moldova Valeriu Lazar.

On 16 February, the sides also signed the protocol of the 12th session of the Belarus-Moldova Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Belarus and Moldova intend to expand cooperation in the industrial area, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Ivan Bambiza told reporters following the 12th session of the Belarus-Moldova Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Ivan Bambiza informed that at present Belarus and Moldova are implementing a joint project to produce an orchard tractor. “It is a special-purpose tractor; we have designed it for Moldova. Such tractors are already assembled there,” the Vice-Premier said.

The Belarusian side is also interested in setting up a joint assembly production of trolleybuses and other vehicles in Moldova. “Belarus and Moldova are experiencing an economic upturn. I think that this will give us more opportunities to develop joint projects,” he added.

According to Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Valeriu Lazar, the above-mentioned projects will benefit from the opportunities Moldova offers to get access to the European market. For example, a project to assemble tractors may become a trial balloon that will test the efficiency of the joint assembly production and the promotion of products on the markets of Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria. The same pertains to the possibility to produce trolleybuses.

Belarus and Moldova should promote the economic interests of one another, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Ivan Bambiza told reporters.

“We should use the Moldovan market to promote Belarusian interests in the European Union, taking into account Moldova’s preferences in its trade with the EU. And, of course, Moldova should use the economic space of Belarus within the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan,” Ivan Bambiza said.

Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Valeriu Lazar, in turn, said that there are a lot of prerequisites for the work of Moldovan companies on Belarus’ market and for Belarusian companies in Moldova. “And there plenty of opportunities for Belarusian investments in the Republic of Moldova,” said Valeriu Lazar. As a neighbor of the EU countries, Moldova has preferences in the trade with the EU. “There is a trend that investments can come only from the West to the East. And we want to show that very interesting projects can be in the EU with the help of investments from the East,” said the Moldovan official.

There is a ground for projects in the field of industrial cooperation and healthcare, according to Valeriu Lazar. Apart from that, Belarus is a traditional purchaser of Moldova’s wine materials. “This cooperation should provide ground for other projects,” added Valeriu Lazar.