Belarus ready to advance cooperation with Slovakia

Belarus is ready advance cooperation with Slovakia, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Slovakia to Belarus Jozef Migas on 6 July, BelTA informs.

The head of state said that the two countries maintain very good relations and have a very big untapped potential for the development of the trade and economic cooperation. “Let's agree that the major indicator - $220 million worth of bilateral trade is not huge,” he said. “However, some time ago we did not even have this trade turnover, and the increase is significant. But we can do more, we are prepared for close cooperation with your wonderful Slovakia across the board, we are ready to learn from you in many fields (and you can teach a lot in various fields ranging from sport to industrial development). We are ready to advance cooperation.”

The president mentioned Jozef Migas' experience of work in various fields and suggested that he should continue cooperation with Belarus in the future. “In your life you have been a public figure and a successful businessman,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “I think we can do a lot, including with your help. We are open for this cooperation. If you have any proposals, even if you decide not to do business or production in the future, please know that Belarus will be a place where you will be able to develop any sphere you want.”

The trade and economic cooperation of Belarus and Slovakia is increasingly vibrant. In 2019, the bilateral trade went up almost 7% year on year to reach $226 million. Export made up $114 million, import - $112 million. In January-April 2020, the trade turnover reached $63.4 million. Belarus' major exports to Slovakia are medical devices and equipment, iron wires, oil products, polyamides, tractors. Major imports from Slovakia include cars and spare parts, corn, combustion engines, foodstuffs.

In 2019, Belarus significantly increased the export of services, predominantly transport and computer services, to Slovakia to $17.7 million (up 18.9% from the level of 2018).

As of 1 January 2020, Slovakia invested $5 million, including $4.6 million worth of direct investments, in the Belarusian economy. There are eleven joint ventures and seven foreign companies with the Slovakian capital in Belarus.