Russia’s Smolensk Region Governor: friendly relations between Lukashenko, Putin are model for two countries’ regional heads
The level of relations between the presidents of Belarus and Russia, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, is a model for the heads of regions of both countries, Smolensk Region Governor Vasily Anokhin noted after today’s meeting with Aleksandr Lukashenko
According to him, almost every third or fourth family in the Smolensk Region has relatives in Belarus, and this is a very significant factor for the further development of bilateral co-operation.
“The warm, friendly relations between the presidents of Russia and Belarus are a model of how we, the heads of regions, should build the same good-neighbourly, open relations with our colleagues from Belarus. The key thing that both sides are keen on is industrial interaction, because we have a lot of co-operative ties. First of all, we talked about the implementation of MAZ investment projects related to apron buses and the creation of a service and maintenance centre. We also tackled the implementation of projects in the field of agricultural machinery together with the Bobruiskagromash enterprise. This is also very important. Our farmers use more than 70 percent of Belarus-made machinery,” the Smolensk Region Governor noted.
According to Mr. Anokhin, modernisation of the tram fleet through the use of tram renovation technologies is also on the agenda.
“Agricultural products occupy an important aspect in trade turnover,” stressed the Governor of the Smolensk Region. “Trade turnover in this area has already exceeded 50bn Russian Roubles. The key crops are flax and rapeseed. Our farmers are grateful for the seed material we receive from Belarus. We discussed the creation of a joint seed breeding centre between the Flax Institute in Orsha and our Smolensk State Agricultural Academy.”
