Dear colleagues and friends! Currently, Belarus is getting more attractive to international business community. Its unique geographical position – at the crossroads between west and east, north and south – is just one of the advantages for establishing and doing business in Belarus. 2WKHU EHQH¿WV LQFOXGH D IDYRUDEOH LQYHVWPHQW DQG WD[DWLRQ environment, unique privatization opportunities, well-developed WUDQVSRUW DQG ORJLVWLFV LQIUDVWUXFWXUH KLJKO\ TXDOL¿HG ZRUNIRUFH GHFHQWOLYLQJVWDQGDUGVGLUHFWDFFHVVWRWKHPDUNHWVRI5XVVLD DQG.D]DNKVWDQ The advantages of doing business in our country are proved by statistics. For several years %HODUXVKDVEHHQUDWHGDPRQJWKHWRSWKUHHRXWRIFRXQWULHVWKDWUHJXODUO\WDNHSDUWLQWKH :RUOG%DQN¶V©'RLQJEXVLQHVVªUHVHDUFKDQGKDYHDFKLHYHGUHPDUNDEOHUHVXOWVLQFUHDWLQJD IDYRUDEOHUHJXODWRU\HQYLURQPHQWDQGLPSOHPHQWLQJUHIRUPVHI¿FLHQWO\$FFRUGLQJWRWKH+XPDQ 'HYHORSPHQW,QGH[FRPSLOHGE\WKH81'HYHORSPHQW3URJUDPRXUFRXQWU\LVOLVWHGDPRQJWKH FRXQWULHVZLWKDKLJKOHYHORIKXPDQGHYHORSPHQWDQGFRPHV¿UVWDPRQJWKH&,6VWDWHV$QGWKH FDSLWDORI%HODUXV0LQVNWRSVWKH)RUEHVOLVWRIWKHPRVWDWWUDFWLYHFLWLHVIRUGRLQJEXVLQHVVLQ WKHSRVW6RYLHWDUHD 7KHHGLWLRQFRQWDLQVXSWRGDWHLQIRUPDWLRQDERXW%HODUXVLWVHFRQRPLFH[SRUWLQYHVWPHQW SRWHQWLDO:HKRSHLWZLOOVHUYHDVDEXVLQHVVJXLGHIRURXUSDUWQHUVQRWRQO\EULHÀ\SUHVHQWLQJ the opportunities for establishing and doing business, but also providing references to the domestic organizations and companies to address for all the necessary information and business assistance. On behalf of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry I wish your acquaintance ZLWK%HODUXVWREHSURGXFWLYHDQGIXOORISOHDVDQWH[SHULHQFH Welcome to Belarus! 0LNKDLO0\DWOLNRY Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Contents Geographical position 4 7RXULVP Government 5 ,7LQGXVWU\ Historical background 6 Regional opportunities 39 Climate and weather in Belarus 8 %UHVWUHJLRQ Places to visit in Belarus 9 *RPHOUHJLRQ 7RXULVWDWWUDFWLRQVLQ0LQVN *URGQRUHJLRQ Population 14 0LQVNUHJLRQ Belarusian business ethics 15 0RJLOHYUHJLRQ Belarus in international ratings 16 9LWHEVNUHJLRQ Belarusian Chamber of Commerce 7KHFLW\RI0LQVN and Industry 18 Investment 48 Economy 22 Belarus is the best place for your )RUHLJQWUDGH investment 50 ,QGXVWU\ 1DWLRQDO$JHQF\RI,QYHVWPHQWDQG 0HFKDQLFDOHQJLQHHULQJ 3ULYDWL]DWLRQ &KHPLFDOLQGXVWU\ TXHVWLRQVDERXWVWDUWLQJDEXVLQHVV 0HWDOZRUNLQJ 3UHIHUHQWLDOOHJDOUHJLPHV 3RZHUHQJLQHHULQJ Useful information 59 $JULFXOWXUH Contact information 60 7UDQVSRUWDQGORJLVWLFV 5HSXEOLFDQERGLHVRIVWDWH %DQNLQJV\VWHP DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ )RRGLQGXVWU\ 5HJLRQDOH[HFXWLYHERGLHV /LJKWLQGXVWU\ 'LSORPDWLFFRUSVLQ%HODUXV )RUHVWU\ZRRGZRUNLQJSXOS Diplomatic missions of Belarus DQGSDSHULQGXVWU\ DEURDG 2 3 Geographical position Geographical position The Republic of Belarus is a country in the center of Europe. 7KHWHUULWRU\RIWKHUHSXEOLFLVWKRXVDQGVTNP ([WHQVLRQIURPQRUWKWRVRXWK±NPIURPHDVWWRZHVW±NP %RUGHUH[WHQVLRQ±NP ,WWDNHV±KRXUVWRFURVVWKHWHUULWRU\RI%HODUXVLQDQ\GLUHFWLRQWUDYHOOLQJE\FDU 7KH FRXQWU\ LV GLYLGHG LQWR VL[ UHJLRQV %UHVW *RPHO *URGQR 0LQVN 0RJLOHY 9LWHEVN 7KHFLW\RI0LQVNWKHFDSLWDOLVDQLQGHSHQGHQWDGPLQLVWUDWLYHXQLWZKLFKGRHVQRWIRUPSDUWRI a region. The country borders on Latvia and Lithuania in WKHQRUWKZHVWRQ5XVVLDLQWKHHDVWRQ8NUDLQH LQWKHVRXWKDQGRQ3RODQGLQWKHZHVW %RUGHUV /DWYLDNP /LWKXDQLDNP 3RODQGNP 5XVVLDNP 4 8NUDLQHNP Government Government National Flag of the Republic of Belarus National Emblem of the Republic of Belarus 7KH 5HSXEOLF RI %HODUXV LV D VRYHUHLJQ WKH +RXVH RI 5HSUHVHQWDWLYHV GHSXWLHV independent state. DQGWKH&RXQFLORIWKH5HSXEOLF PHPEHUV Form of government – presidential republic. ([HFXWLYH SRZHU LV H[HUFLVHG E\ WKH Government – the Council of Ministers – which 6LQFHWKH3UHVLGHQWRIWKH5HSXEOLF is the major state administrative body. RI%HODUXVLV$OH[DQGHU/XNDVKHQNR In its activities the Government is 7KH 3DUOLDPHQW RI WKH UHSXEOLF LV WKH DFFRXQWDEOHWRWKH3UHVLGHQWDQGOLDEOHWRWKH 1DWLRQDO$VVHPEO\FRQVLVWLQJRIWZRFKDPEHUV 3DUOLDPHQWRIWKH5HSXEOLFRI%HODUXV 5 Historical background Historical background 100–35 thousand B.C. First wars of Rzecz Pospolita, the settlements were formed in the state was portioned out by territory of present-day Belarus. Russia, Austria and Prussia. Belarusian lands were incorporated into the Russian VII–XIII centuries. First Empire. state formations in the territory of Belarus (Principality of Polotsk) 1917. The October Revolution. XIII–XVI centuries. The 1919. Belarusian Soviet formation of the Grand Duchy Socialist Republic (BSSR) was of Lithuania, embracing the established. territories of present day Belarus, Lithuania, Kiev, Chernigov and Volyn regions of 1922. BSSR became one of the Ukraine, and western regions of Soviet Union (USSR) founding Russia. republics. XVI–XVIII centuries. The 1941–1945. Belarusian lands Grand Duchy of Lithuania and were occupied by the German the Kingdom of Poland created troops during the World on equal terms a federative War II. state – Rzecz Pospolita. 1944. Liberation of the XVIII – beg.of XX century. country's territory from the As a result of the sustained German occupation. 6 Historical background 1945. Belarus joind the 1999. The Treaty on the United Nations Organization creation of the Union State of together with other UNO Russia and Belarus was signed, founding member-states. and the action programme for the implementation of its provisions was adopted. 1986. As consequence of the Chernobyl accident, a significant part of the country's territory 2009. The documents on the exposed to radioactive creation of the Customs Union contamination. of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia were signed. 1991. After the collapse of the USSR, Belarus was 2012. The Declaration on proclaimed an independent the creation of the Eurasian state. Economic Community was The Agreement on the adopted, and the Agreement creation of the Commonwealth between Belarus, Russia and of Independent States was Kazakhstan on the Common signed. Minsk was defined the Economic Space came into force. official headquarter of the CIS coordinating authorities. 2014. The Agreement on the creation of the Eurasian 1994. The Constitution of Economic Union on the basis of the Republic of Belarus was the Customs Union was signed. adopted. The first President The members of the Union elections in the history of the are Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan independent state were held. and Armenia. 7 Climate and weather in Belarus Climate and weather in Belarus %HODUXVLDQPRGHUDWHFRQWLQHQWDOFOLPDWHLQÀXHQFHGE\WKH$WODQWLFDLUPDVVHVLVFKDUDFWHUL]HG by rainy warm summers and mild winters with frequent thaws. The weather is changeable in spring and autumn. $YHUDJHDQQXDOSUHFLSLWDWLRQLQWKHWHUULWRU\ RI%HODUXVLV±PP Month precipitation is characterized by ZHOOGH¿QHG DQQXDO F\FOH ZLWK LWV PLQLPXP DPRXQW LQ )HEUXDU\ ± 0DUFK DQG PD[LPXP LQVXPPHURIUDLQIDOOIDOOVRQIRU$SULO± October. The number of snowy days varies from LQWKHVRXWKZHVWWRLQWKHQRUWKHDVW VQRZFRYHUGHSWKUDQJHVIURPWRFP $YHUDJH WHPSHUDWXUH YDULHV GHSHQGLQJ RQUHJLRQLQ-XQHLWUDQJHVIRUPÛ&LQWKH QRUWKWRÛ&LQWKHVRXWK $YHUDJH WHPSHUDWXUH LQ -DQXDU\ YDULHV IURP±Û&LQWKHVRXWKZHVWWR±Û&LQWKH north-east. In some regions of Belarus sub-zero temperatures are maintained for over a tertial. 8 Places to visit in Belarus Places to visit in Belarus Belarus starts with the capital city. Minsk enjoys almost thousand-year history. During WKH*UHDW3DWULRWLF:DU0LQVNZDVGHVWUR\HG E\ PRUH WKDQ 7KHUHIRUH YHU\ IHZ ancient buildings have survived in the city. +RZHYHU0LQVNFDQEHSURXGRIZLGHDYHQXHV and streets, spacious squares, diverse architectural ensembles, verdurous boulevards DQGSDUNV7KH%HODUXVLDQFDSLWDORIIHUVRYHU SHGHVWULDQDQGEXVWRXULVWURXWHVDOORZLQJ the guests of the city to get acquainted to historical and cultural heritage, museums, theaters, H[KLELWLRQKDOOV The Mir Castle Complex (Mir Castle) is DQ RXWVWDQGLQJ H[DPSOH RI WKH ;9, FHQWXU\ IRUWL¿FDWLRQDUW,WLVLQFOXGHGLQWKH81(6&2 :RUOG &XOWXUDO +HULWDJH /LVW )ROORZLQJ UHVWRUDWLRQZRUNV0LU&DVWOHRSHQHGLWVGRRUV WRYLVLWRUVLQ'HFHPEHU The Nesvizh palace and park complex is a unique monument of architecture and ODQGVFDSHGHVLJQRIWKH;9,±;9,,,FHQWXULHV ,W LV FORVHO\ FRQQHFWHG ZLWK WKH 5DG]LZLOOV IDPLO\KLVWRU\,WLVD81(6&2:RUOG+HULWDJH VLWH,Q-XQH1HVYL]K&DVWOHRSHQHGLWV doors to visitors following intensive restoration ZRUNV The Augustow Canal is a hydraulic HQJLQHHULQJ VSHFLPHQ RI WKH HDUO\ ;,; FHQWXU\ It is situated in Grodno region and connects the ULYHU9LVWXODDQG1HPDQ1XPHURXVLQWHUQDWLRQDO cultural and sport events, national and regional FRQWHVWV WRXULVW JDWKHULQJV WDNH SODFH DW WKH FDQDO7RXULVWVFDQJRIRUND\DNFDQRHPRWRUERDW WULSVDORQJWKH$XJXVWRZ&DQDO 9 Places to visit in Belarus The memorial complex Khatyn is one of the most impressive monuments to the victims of World War II. It is located at a distance RI NP IURP 0LQVN .KDW\Q LV D IRUPHU Belarusian village destroyed by fascist invaders GXULQJWKH*UHDW3DWULRWLF:DU7RGD\¶V.KDW\Q FRPSOH[LVRQHRIWKHPRVWUHYHUHGSODFHVLQ %HODUXV 7KH PHPRULDO FRPSOH[ KDV LWV RZQ PXVHXPDQGDSKRWRH[KLELWLRQ The Brest Fortress memorial is a VSHFLPHQ RI WKH ;,; FHQWXU\ IRUWL¿FDWLRQ DUW ORFDWHG LQ D PLQXWH ZDON IURP %UHVW¶V GRZQWRZQ 7KH IRUWUHVV LV D V\PERO RI 6RYLHW UHVLVWDQFH GXULQJ :RUOG :DU ,, 2Q -XQH WKH IRUWUHVV JDUULVRQ UHSHOOHG WKH ¿UVW DWWDFNV RI 1D]L LQYDGHUV The besieged fortress managed to hold the OLQHIRURYHUDPRQWK,WZDVDZDUGHGWKH+HUR )RUWUHVVWLWOHLQWKHZDNHRI:RUOG:DU,,IRURXWVWDQGLQJFRXUDJHGLVSOD\HGE\6RYLHWVROGLHUV when they fought against fascist troops. Belovezhskaya Pushcha is one of the major tourist attractions of Belarus. It is the biggest forest in Central