Braslav District and Tolochin Districts of Belarus' Vitebsk Oblast signed cooperation agreements with Russian regions on 28 April, BelTA has learned.

A delegation of Safonovo District of Russia's Smolensk Oblast is on a fact-finding visit to Belarus' Tolochin District. On 28 April the sides signed a twinning agreement. The document is designed to promote friendly and business relations between youth, cultural, art, sports, and educational institutions, commercial and public organizations, industrial and commercial enterprises. The agreement is aimed to create the necessary conditions to strengthen economic and trade relations. "Firstly we will start cultural cooperation. This is the foundation that will help us build up business and economic contacts at the level of territorial entities. For instance, Safonovo District has invited our creative teams to join the town's anniversary celebrations. In 2016 we started to foster close ties with Russia and signed a twinning agreement with the town of Konakovo, Russia's Tver Oblast. We are looking forward to receiving guests from the city of Velikiye Luki following 9 May," the press service of the Tolochin District Executive Committee clarified.

Braslav District has more contacts with neighboring Latvian and Lithuanian regions thanks to its geographical location. Russia is viewed as a strategic partner, this is why a delegation of Pskov District came to Braslav District on 27 April. The Russian delegation visited the main sights of the town and the Braslav Traditional Culture Museum. The Russians also invited Braslav craftsmen to take part in the traditional fairs held in Pskov. "Today the chairmen of the Braslav District Executive Committee and the Braslav District Council of Deputies signed a cooperation and partnership agreement with the head of the Pskov District administration and the chairman of the Pskov District Council of Deputies. The document envisages information exchange, mutual familiarization with the districts' social and economic life, cultural, educational, sports and tourism cooperation. The agreement also aims to build up trade and economic relations," Head of the Department for Ideology, Culture, and Youth Affairs of the Braslav District Executive Committee Antonina Obolevich noted.

She said she hopes to see more young people from Pskov among the students of the Vidzy State Vocational Agricultural College. Currently only three students from Pskov District study there, which is fewer than has been before. This is why the guests visited the college after signing the agreement. The delegation was also made familiar with the district's major investment initiatives and the products of the bakery plant and the cheese factory, which is part of OAO Glubokoye Milk Canning Plant. "This is just a kind of advertising for now, but we believe that friendly visits will be followed by concrete business contacts between the companies of our districts," Antonia Obolevich summarized.

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