Krutoi: Belarus, Russia will ensure equal access to tenders for their equipment soon

Belarus and Russia will soon resolve the problem of ensuring equal access to tenders for equipment produced in the two countries, Ambassador of Belarus to Russia Dmitry Krutoi said as he met with Arkhangelsk Mayor Dmitry Morev in Russia’s Arkhangelsk on 25 January, BelTA has learned.

According to the ambassador, a corresponding decree is to be signed at the upcoming meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State. “After that it will be submitted to the government. We will exchange programs (preferences, subsidies, leasing schemes) and we hope that Russian equipment will be admitted to tenders in Belarus bypassing approval procedures and the same will apply to Belarusian equipment in Russia,” he explained.

During the negotiations with the mayor, Dmitry Krutoi noted that it was striking to see so many MAZ buses on the roads of Arkhangelsk. In this regard, the ambassador asked how Belarusian machinery performed in the conditions of the north. According to Dmitry Morev, last year the city purchased over 200 new buses, most of which were manufactured by MAZ. “The buses have performed well,” the mayor said.

Following the negotiations, Dmitry Krutoi told reporters that Belarus and Arkhangelsk intend to thoroughly expand and diversify cooperation. In particular, the parties are looking for opportunities to launch the production of equipment based on the MAZ chassis in Arkhangelsk: the parties are looking for a suitable site, discussing infrastructure and production volumes. “We should make production plans taking into account the needs of not only Arkhangelsk Oblast, but also neighboring regions,” he clarified. “And if such a project succeeds, it will certainly be a big contribution to our common agenda.”

“The second talking point is trade. The question is: will the Vitebsk trading house have a certain specialization and work only with Vitebsk enterprises, or will it be more versatile and have a broader business concept? It will be run by people from Vitebsk Oblast, but the assortment will include key Belarusian brands, which is in line with the instructions of our president,” the ambassador added.