Belarusian, Lithuanian rescuers develop cross-border cooperation program

GRODNO, 31 October (BelTA) - Belarusian and Lithuanian rescuers are developing a program for cross-border cooperation designed to run in 2014-2020, BelTA learnt from spokesperson for the Grodno Oblast Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry Natalia Zhivolevskaya.

The 8th session of the working group of the Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania and the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry lasted two days and concluded in Grodno on 30 October. The session discussed cooperation in the prevention of emergency situations, natural disasters and major accidents along with relief effort. Taking part in the session were Vytas Kaziliunas, Deputy Director of the Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior of Lithuania, and Belarus’ Deputy Emergencies Minister Alexander Khudoleyev.

The session discussed international project cooperation and joint response to cross-border emergency situations. The sides pointed out the need to consolidate efforts to combat modern-day challenges and threats of emergencies and stressed the importance of information exchange between the Belarusian and Lithuanian emergencies agencies when it comes to the prevention of catastrophes and natural and man-made disasters. The session also noted the significance of exercising the supervision of dangerous objects.

The meeting participants reviewed the implementation status of several international projects and outlined the areas of further cooperation.

The Belarusian and Lithuanian emergencies agencies are involved in the joint project on the improvement of coordination of civil protection systems in the field of controlling natural disasters in the cross-border region Lithuania-Latvia-Belarus, which is partially funded by the EU. The project is being implemented by the Grodno Oblast Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry. The budget of the project is €895,000, including €270,000 allocated to the Grodno Oblast Department of the Emergencies Ministry. This money is used to purchase rescue equipment.

International projects also involve cross-border exercises on management of natural and man-made emergencies.