VITEBSK, 11 September (BelTA) – The Nordic Council and the Vitebsk oblast of Belarus intend to carry out the projects aimed at improving the quality of drinking water and producing the biofuel, Sinikka Bolin, the Chair of the Nordic Council, a member of the Swedish Parliament, told reporters. On 11 September, a delegation of the Nordic Council is in the Vitebsk oblast on a visit. “We have a considerable experience of the work with the projects aimed at improving the quality of drinking water and processing the used water. It is possible that one of our first joint projects with the Vitebsk oblast will be implemented in that area,” Sinikka Bolin said. According to her, the production of biofuel from the local raw materials is one more promising project. During one-day trip of a delegation of the Nordic Council to the Vitebsk oblast, the sides are expected to discuss the key avenues of the cooperation including ecology, energy saving, woodworking, timber exploitation, agriculture. The delegation of the Nordic Council met with Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Council of Deputies Alexander Atyasov and the leadership of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee to discuss the possible avenues of the joint work and adjust the priorities of the cooperation. Participants of the delegation will visit production facilities of the Vitebskoblgaz Company, the Rudakovo Company and the Vitebskdrev Company. The Nordic Council is a parliamentary cooperation organization of Northern European countries. The organization comprises Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden, and three autonomies – the Aland and Faroe Islands, Greenland. The Council prepares recommendations for the Council of Ministers of the Northern countries. The Presidium, the Plenary Session and committees are the main bodies of the Nordic Council. The Nordic Council includes 87 members elected by national parliaments. The committees of the Nordic Council support contacts and exchange of information with UNESCO, WTO and UNICEF. Representatives of the OSCE PA are invited to attend sessions of the Nordic Council. The Nordic Council is an initiator of the parliamentary cooperation within the framework of the three avenues: Baltic, Arctic and Barents.

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