Feedback & references

Patricia Ruppert MBA(UK), Managing Director of the German-Belarusian House (DWH), FDI-Project Manager

"...Several years ago, the German-French Euroregion PAMINA, a form of cross-border cooperation, was successfully launched on the border territory between France and Germany. We found this experience so successful that we thought it possible to transfer it to the border regions of Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. Our project started last year, in November, and it aims at presenting this market as a territory attractive for foreign companies – so that they come here and start their businesses in this region. The slogan of the new region is "One Location = Three Markets." The population of the common market amounts to approximately 93 million. Those who open their enterprises in Brest or in Lutsk immediately get access to the markets of the three countries. Moreover, this region has almost no linguistic barrier, and its compound GDP will be bigger than that of Sweden or Turkey.

Therefore, it was necessary to put much effort into positioning and advertising of the region, in order to make it attractive for foreign investors. We collected data and statistics, and elaborated a strategy for introducing this region to the market. When positioning this investment product on the market, we gave it the name "the Business Valley BUG." For the first time, we are in your country with representatives of Baden-Württemberg enterprises; we believe that the project will be successful and work on its further promotion."

Nikolay Krivetski, Deputy Chairman of the Brest Executive Committee

"It was Brest, supported by the European Union, that once started active privatisation in the sphere of trade and services, while the German partners were of invaluable help in adaptation of the first free economic zone in Belarus to European legislation. Those who first decided to take a chance and invest their capital here were never sorry about their decision later and achieved great results."

Dr.Hans-Dieter Frey, Assistant Secretary of State of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economy

"Due to our experience, we are familiar with opportunities and problems of cross-border economic cooperation. Our trip to Brest is going to help us to establish business contacts with regional representatives of the Euroregion BUG and carry out negotiations on development of economic cooperation. Our visit to the free economic zones in Poland and in Brest, as well as meetings with political and economic representatives of the Euroregion Bug, gave us a good overview and provided us with important information on location factors and economic potential of the Business Valley BUG.I am fascinated with impressions shared with us by participating enterprises which are at the moment still carrying out negotiations with enterprises from the Euroregion Bug in Companies Matching Event.

My special thanks go to the German-Belarusian House in Karlsruhe and its Managing Director, Frau Patricia Ruppert. For years, she has been working with inspiration and has been using know-how of our region in order to bring to life such valuable initiatives as our trip of entrepreneurs and the International Economic Forum BUG."

Jean-Eric Holzapfel, Counselor of the European Commission Delegation in Ukraine and Belarus

"This is a very dynamically developing project that combines the interests of all its partners. It can be continued in the context of the program for the cross-border cooperation development which is supported by the European Commission.

…The city of Brest, where the International Economic Forum BUG took place, is a very interesting city with rich history. I would love to come back to Brest and to have a chance to know it better."

Dr. Herbert Neuland, Managing Director of Baden-Württemberg International

"Companies Matching Event, if held on the regular basis, can significantly contribute to development of business contacts; furthermore, it can create an image for the Business Valley BUG and reputation for the triangle Belarus-Poland-Ukraine, especially because the cross-border economic space "the Business Valley BUG" has all possibilities for becoming an attractive territory on the global market."