Baltic States – CIS, Belarus, Energy, Investments, Lithuania, Markets and Companies

Lithuanian investors have suggested opening car washes and car service stations in the district, they are eager to make fuel bricks, eager to open retail outlets and pizzerias. "We are now working with four investors from Lithuania. Negotiations with a fifth one are in progress," said Adam Kovalko.

Set up by a Lithuanian investor, the company Technoplast manufactures packaging for confectionery factories. "They now account for 60 percent of the Belarusian market and export about 10-12 percent of the output to Russia. An excellent modern enterprise. Another enterprise will be engaged in woodworking," said the official. Lithuanian investors also manufacture windows and doors. The investor the district administration is in negotiations with plans to get a land plot to build a shopping centre, writes LETA/ELTA.

Prior to negotiations the district administration examines the reputation of potential investors and starts cooperation only with well-recommended companies, said Adam Kovalko. In his words, investors are ready to spend their own money on enterprises and ask only for land plots.

A Turkish investor is interested in Ostrovets District, too. The investor intends to put about USD 15-20 million in building three premises. The construction of a three-star hotel will begin as early as this year. "We have already allocated land plots for them. The project has been examined. Now they have to arrive at the construction site in July. Two more premises will be related to recreation and motorway service," said the official.

The Chairman of the Ostrovets District Executive Committee believes that manufacturers will be able to get electricity at massive discounts once the nuclear station goes online. At night electricity may be as cheap as 10-15 percent of the usual price or may even be free. For instance, in China all people within a 10 km radius of a nuclear station get electricity for free, explained the official.

A media trip for Lithuanian reporters took place in Belarus on 11-13 June. Among them were representatives of the First Baltic Channel, the weekly Litovsky Kurier, Baltijos TV, the news agencies BNS and ELTA. While in Belarus the mass media representatives visited manufacturing enterprises and farm tourism estates, the Lithuanian centre for education, culture, and information. The expert roundtable session "Belarus and Lithuania: modern state and prospects of cooperation" was a central event held on 12 June.

On 12-13 June the Lithuanian reporters travelled to the town of Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast and visit the construction site of the nuclear power plant. They were able to get answers to any questions regarding the construction of the nuclear power plant in Belarus from competent sources, who include representatives of the Russian state corporation Rosatom, the Belarusian Energy Ministry, the Nuclear Power Plant Construction Directorate, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, and the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry.