Rustem Khamitov met with Saxon Landtag delegation

UFA, 8 June 2017. /Bashinform News Agency/. The Head of Bashkortostan, Rustem Khamitov, met with the official delegation of the Saxon Landtag (Germany) headed by the Member of Saxon Parliament, the President of the Parliamentary Forum of Central and Eastern Europe, State Minister of Justice of the Free State of Saxony Sebastian Gemkov.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the State Assembly - Kurultay RB Konstantin Tolkachev, representatives of companies operating in Saxony. The prospects of strengthening and expanding interregional cooperation, possibilities of implementing joint projects were discussed.

"This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of cooperation development with Saxony. In 1992, our governments signed a Joint Statement. Even in the recent past, exchange exhibitions and presentations of Saxon and Bashkir goods were held. Our enterprises actively participated in the Leipzig Fair, and Saxon firms worked in our republic. Significant investment projects were implemented in Bashkortostan", said Rustem Khamitov. "Unfortunately, in recent years the meetings have become very rare. And we regard your visit as a kind intention to restore the former active contacts and cooperation. It is important for us to expand our ties with Germany. Opportunities for our joint work are enormous".

During the meeting, the parties discussed promising areas of cooperation between the two regions, including in the fields of industry, energy, agriculture, environmental protection, and cultural interaction.

The Head of the Republic noted the importance of working in the R2R format ("region to region"), offered to organize a presentation of the investment and industrial potential of Bashkortostan in Germany and invited the representatives of Saxony to participate in the 3rd Forum of Small Business of the regions of the SCO and BRICS countries.

The volume of foreign trade turnover of Bashkortostan with Germany amounted to 186.1 million dollars in 2016. More than 60 percent of this amount ($ 115.6 million) was accounted for export, about 40 percent ($ 70.4 million) for import.

Among the products exported from Bashkortostan to Germany are mineral products (68.2 percent), chemical products and rubber products (29.5 percent), metals and articles thereof (1.5 percent), as well as wood, equipment, glassware, furniture, agricultural raw materials. The main import items are equipment and vehicles (62.8 percent), chemical products (26.5 percent), including pharmaceuticals, as well as metal products and ceramic products.

24 enterprises operating in the field of production of machinery and equipment, petrochemical products, heat and sound insulating materials, in the fields of research and development, construction, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants activities, real estate transactions, rental of machinery and equipment are registered in the republic with participation of German capital.