VITEBSK, 19 December (BelTA) – Vitebsk Oblast is expected to increase export of goods by at least 50% in 2012, Governor Alexander Kosinets said when speaking at a join session of the Presidium of the Vitebsk Oblast Council of Deputies and the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee. “Vitebsk Oblast seeks to meet very ambitious targets 2012. These targets have been articulated by the head of state at the permanent seminar for senior officials of the central and local government bodies on import substitution and are quite achievable,” the governor said. In his view, next year the region should work to increase GDP by 5%-9%, capital investments by 1-2%, agricultural production by 20%, retail sale by 12-15%, return on sales in agriculture by 10%, and reduce energy consumption by 8%. Alexander Kosinets specifically stressed the need to increase exports to achieve a foreign trade surplus. According to the preliminary data, enterprises in municipal ownership and without departmental affiliation will report a foreign trade surplus of $38 million in 2011. Next year this result needs to be kept in place. For that export of goods should be increased by 50%. We need to export not less than 65% of our products. We can boost exports of local raw materials: peat, wood, clay, Alexander Kosinets said. The region is projected to boost the export of services by 50%. “These tasks are achievable,” according to the Governor. For example, Smolensk and Pskov Oblasts are interested in employing Vitebsk builders. In the light of the Single Economic Space of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan enterprises that are in municipal ownership need to build up integration with companies from the partner-countries, believes Alexander Kosinets. According to initial projections, the average salary in the region will reach Br2.8 million by the end of 2012. The draft socio-economic development forecast and the draft budget for 2012 will be submitted for consideration of the Vitebsk Oblast Council of Deputies on 20 December.

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