Decision on Belarus branch of Skolkovo Foundation by year end

The decision on the establishment of the Belarusian innovation fund collaborating with Russia’s Skolkovo Foundation will be made by the end of 2013. The corresponding agreement was reached at a session of the High-Level Group of the Union State Council of Ministers in Moscow on 24 July, State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota told reporters, BelTA has learnt.

Grigory Rapota noted that the Belarusian innovation fund will be a kind of a branch of Skolkovo Foundation.

The participants of the session finished working on the cooperation agreement on the use of the Russian global navigation satellite system (GLONASS). Grigory Rapota noted that the agreement is ready for signing.

Speaking about other points of the agenda, Grigory Rapota informed that positive decisions were made on all of them. Belarus suggested discussing a disposal fee for motor transport. The matter is likely to be decided by the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.

When asked by a BelTA journalist about the energy budget of the Union State, Grigory Rapota said that the energy ministries of the two countries will keep working on the matter.

Other issues discussed are the access of Belarusian builders to the construction of NPPs on the territory of Russia. The State Secretary of the Union State noted that the experience gained by Belarusian specialists in Russia will be used in the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

The participants of the session discussed matters related to the property of the Union State, equal terms for Russian and Belarusian citizens to higher education and other matters. The majority of the discussed issues will be raised again at the next session of the Union State Council of Ministers.

Belarus’ delegation was led by Chairman of the Board of the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Rumas whom the Belarusian head of state authorized to act in the capacity of a Vice Premier in integration-related matters. The Russian delegation was led by First Vice Premier Igor Shuvalov.