The project concerns the direct rail connections Orsha-Smolensk and Smolensk-Vitebsk under agreements within the Union State of Belarus and Russia. “We have recently considered this issue [at a joint meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly commissions] at the National Library in Minsk. In the near future, the service will be established,” Yuri Panfilov said, noting that it will be convenient both for people and for business.

“I cannot give an exact date. This must be coordinated with Belarusian Railways. Nevertheless, the matter is already in its final stage,” the deputy added.

On 3 December, the House of Representatives reviewed and adopted the draft law “On Amendments to Laws on Railway Transport” in the first reading.

Yuri Panfilov emphasized that Belarusian Railways is the backbone of the country’s transport system. Its specificity lies in combining both infrastructure ownership and railway operations under one entity. The basic law on railway transport was adopted back in 1999 and has since been revised twice. However, there have been a number of changes that require legislative adjustment.

The deputy listed the main innovations of the draft law. For instance, it introduces the responsibility of owners of private railway tracks to report, record, and notify the relevant authorities (in this case, the Transport Inspectorate of the Transport Ministry) about violations of traffic safety and rules of railway track operation. Additionally, it grants the government the authority to establish procedures for closing low-traffic railway lines and reopening them.

The list of persons required to undergo medical examinations, certification, re-certification, and technical training has beenexpanded. A provision has been introduced for situational assistance to persons with disabilities at railway stations.

According to the deputy, the key goal of the draft law is to create conditions for stable and reliable operation of the railway sector, improve the quality of services provided, and, above all, ensure traffic safety on railway transport.