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VITEBSK, 30 November (BelTA) – Polotsk attended its first Covenant of Mayors ceremony in Brussels on 29 November, BelTA has learnt from the Polotsk City Hall. After signing the Covenant of Mayors in September this year Polotsk became the first Belarusian city to make commitments to the implementation of the EU 20-20-20 targets. A forum that highlighted the importance and prospects of the EU initiative took place as part of the ceremony. According to Polotsk Mayor Alexander Poznyak, the forum is the best means to discuss the problems. “Its format provides local authorities with an opportunity to meet top officials of the European institutions and talk over joint events in the energy sector. I have no doubt that this dialogue will add additional impetus to achieving the preset targets in Europe in general and in Polotsk in particular,” the official said. The Covenant of Mayors ceremony is an annual event. The Covenant signatories as well as supporters and coordinators of the project get together to show their intention to curb CO2 emissions by at least 20% by 2020 and discuss their ongoing activities. This year’s ceremony has united over 1,000 participants, including the heads of large regions and cities of Europe such as London, Munich, Bucharest, Rome, and Warsaw. Polotsk has developed its sustainable energy action plan as an obligatory condition for the project “Sustainable Urban Energy in the Region of the European Neighborhood Partnership Instrument – towards the Covenant of Mayors”. The document will be submitted to the Polotsk Council of Deputies in early 2012. The implementation of the action plan will help Polotsk enhance its energy efficiency.

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