VITEBSK, 25 May (BelTA) – Belarusian goods need to have more exposure in the retail networks of Daugavpils, Latvia, chairman of the Daugavpils city duma Janis Lachplesis told BelTA. Janis Lachplesis is heading a delegation of Daugavpils during a visit to Vitebsk. “Vitebsk and Daugavpils have good relations in culture and tourism. We have been successfully implementing joint projects. Now it is time we started developing economic contacts,” the mayor said. A step toward such contacts could be the advancement of Belarusian goods by the large Latvian retail networks, and the Daugavpils city duma intends to provide all-round assistance in this issue. “We are interested in developing the relations between our businessmen,” Janis Lachplesis added. The chairman of the Vitebsk city hall, Viktor Nikolaikin, noted that in 2009 the trade between Vitebsk and Latvia amounted to $42.5 million, accounting for 5.2% of the total foreign trade of Vitebsk. In Q1 this year the foreign trade with Latvia reached $7.5 million. Export surged 48.8% from the same period last year to a total of $2.5 million. The major exporters are the Vitebsk oil-extracting factory, Vitebskdrev. There are five joint and foreign companies with the participation of Latvian capital in Vitebsk. Their total authorized fund makes up $200,000. “Our relations have great prospects. There is something we can learn from each other,” the Vitebsk mayor said. The official delegation of Daugavpils will stay in Vitebsk for two says and will get familiar with the Vitba confectionary, KIM and Marko companies. Vitebsk and Daugavpils signed a partnership agreement in 1998.

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