News

Sergei Fedotov took part in the Minsk International Economic Forum, a major business event traditionally held as part of the celebrations for the capital of Belarus' City Day, which in 2025 marks the 958th anniversary of Minsk.
The forum brought together partners to strengthen international economic ties, with representatives from 27 countries and 15 Russian regions participating.
Vice-Governor of Penza Oblast Sergei Fedotov emphasized that close cooperation between Penza Oblast and the regions of Belarus spans many areas and is personally supported by President Alexander Lukashenko. The region's foreign trade turnover with the republic continues to grow annually, reaching 3.4 billion rubles in the first five months of 2025.
Fedotov noted that the development of relations with Minsk is facilitated by an agreement signed in 2024 between the Government of Penza Oblast and the Minsk City Executive Committee. Currently, import substitution is a promising direction for cooperation, with several enterprises having already established cooperative ties.
On the instructions of Governor Oleg Melnichenko, Penza Oblast purchased 94 trolleybuses produced using Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) vehicle kits to renew its public transport fleet. In 2025, continuing this course, 60 large-class buses were acquired from the MAZ plant. Additionally, the purchase of 6 units of municipal utility equipment for 2 municipalities in Penza Oblast is planned for 2025.
"Penza Oblast aims to further increase the scale and quality of our contacts with the regions of the Republic of Belarus, as well as to deepen cooperation in various fields, including economy, culture, education, and science," the Vice-Governor concluded.