confectionery sweets, linen, machin-
ery like tractors, potatoes, invest-
ments and are known for the potash
also. The largest trading partnering
country is Russia, the second largest,
Germany; then Poland is there, the
Ukraine, and Baltic Island countries
The Netherlands is a reasonable trad-
ing partner for Belarus. Slowly more
people are learning it and wanting
to do business with Belarus. There’s
a high-class system over there where
offices are clean, people are nice
though language is a problem. It is
very disciplined like Germany. The
banking system is a good banking
system. If you transfer money there
then you don’t have to worry about
someone taking 10% of the business.
Belarus has been known for their ag-
riculture for some time now, though
it is changing with modern advances.
The system right now brings pros-
perity to Belarus.
Q: That brings me to the big picture
issues. What are some of those facing
Belarus today?
A: I believe it is the misconception.
It is difficult because the question is
always: ‘Where is Belarus?’ It is locat-
ed between Russia and Poland. The
Belarusian people are as independent
as possible. Belarus is a very safe and
organized country. People are dressed
well, and you do not see homeless
in the streets. If you travel form the
airport to Minsk, then you will see
how good the roads are. One-third
of the population was killed by the
Nazis. Every little town or village has
a memorial for that time. It suffered
a lot during the war being where the
crossroads are between Poland, Ger-
many, and Russia. Slowly but surely
the USSR state of mind is being
changed, it seems, by the younger
generations. Joint ventures with cor-
porations like high-tech industries,
and heavy machinery are getting
done. High-tech called the Great
42 iF Magazine | January 2018
Stone is partly owned by Chinese’s
and Belarus governments. It is a new
platform for high-tech export-ori-
ented and innovative manufacturing,
as well as a key logistics and transport
hub on the fastest growing trade cor-
ridor in the world, running overland
from Asia to Europe. The industrial
park is the core of a deal between the
Belarusian government and China,
which has been bu