GOMEL, 3 September (BelTA) – Belarusian free economic zones should become the main drivers of investment, Deputy Economy Minister Anzhelika Nikitina said at the conference “Operation of free economic zones in Belarus” that opened in the FEZ Gomel-Raton on 3 September, BelTA has learned.
According to Anzhelika Nikitina, this meeting was called in order to discuss new approaches to the formation and priorities of the FEZ in the next five-year period. “Today we need to come up with new approaches. Time does not stand still. We see that free economic zones in the neighboring states and partner countries have completely different terms, benefits, functions, etc. Free economic zones should become locomotives for raising and utilizing investment. This necessitates certain amendments to the legislation,” the deputy minister said.
She emphasized that it is necessary to preserve the potential of the FEZ, their focus on export and their investment function. "Amendments will be introduced with this in mind," Anzhelika Nikitina specified.
Gomel Oblast Deputy Governor Andrei Konyushko called free economic zones investment, innovation, manufacturing and export hubs. In his words, amidst competition for investors among countries, it is necessary to utilize as many instruments as possible in order to raise investment. “Both free economic zones and their very location should become more attractive. Our task [that of the power vertical and FEZ] is to increase the competitiveness of Belarusian free economic zones,” he added.
The conference in Gomel, which is taking place on 3-4 September, has brought together heads of the country's free economic zones, including FEZ "Minsk" top management, specialists in investment, economics, legislation, representatives of the Economy Ministry and the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee.
Source: https://eng.belta.by/economics/view/opinion-fez-should-become-investment-locomotives-133166-2020/