VITEBSK, 2 April (BelTA) - Development of regional ties contribute to the integration of Belarus and Russia in all areas, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk City Hall Vladimir Shloma said at the solemn meeting dedicated to the Day of Unity of the people of Belarus and Russia. According to Vladimir Shloma, the present and future of Vitebsk and Vitebsk Oblast cannot be imagined without Russian participation. Vitebsk maintains close and friendly ties with Smolensk, Pskov, Samara, Stupino,...

NOVOPOLOTSK, 29 March (BelTA) - In January-February this year trade between Belarus and Latvia went up more than 3.5 times, Ambassador of Belarus to Latvia Alexander Gerasimenko said at the first Belarusian-Latvian forum of twin-towns. Latvia is a major trade and economic partner of Belarus, stressed Alexander Gerasimenko. Last year alone 82 joint ventures with Belarusian capital were set up in that country (currently there are over 500 of them). Sixty-three companies with Latvian capital...

MINSK, 29 March (BelTA) – Basic rent unit will be Br54,000 in Belarus as from 1 April. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed relevant decree No. 150 on 29 March, the press service of the head of state told BelTA. The document regulates procedures used to determine rental fees for real estate using basic rent unit.In the future the basic rent unit will be set by the Council of Ministers every year taking into account annual inflation (the consumer price index of the previous year...

NOVOPOLOTSK, 29 March (BelTA) – Belarusian and Latvian businessmen will cooperate despite EU sanctions, BelTA learned from Juris Bruzhuks, a Latvian businessman, the owner of a major apparel manufacturer Viola Stils, at the first forum of Belarusian and Latvian twinned cities in Novopolotsk on 29 March. “Latvia has many kinship and business ties with Belarus that have evolved over the course of history. The two economies are intertwined. Therefore sanctions of the European Union will not...

MINSK, 26 March (BelTA) – In January-February 2012 Belarus received $140.5 million in net foreign direct investments (without taking into account debts to direct investors for goods and services), representatives of the Economy Ministry told BelTA as they commented on the fulfillment of the national social and economic development forecast in the two months of 2012. In 2012 Belarus is expected to attract $1.2 billion in net FDI, therefore 11.7% of the goal has been achieved. The FDI were...

MINSK, 23 March (BelTA) – The Belarusian side believes the presence of the recalled ambassadors of the nations that have voted in favor of introducing additional sanctions against several Belarusian citizens and enterprises is not required in Belarus. The statement was made by Andrei Savinykh, Head of the Information Office, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, at a press conference on 23 March. “We are forced to immediately start taking response measures. Our...