KIEV, August 23. /TASS/ The Ukrainian government has adopted a state program for developing cross-border cooperation effective for 2016-2020. According to the program approved at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Ukraine plans to develop ties with Moldova and Belarus.

"The program is aimed at enhancing regional cooperation with our neighboring countries", Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister Gennadiy Zubko, who is also the Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Utilities Infrastructure, said at the meeting.

According to Zubko, it is a four-year program that envisages implementing 55 cross-border collaborative ventures and carrying out 25 projects in the Zhitomir, Ivano-Frankovsk, Volyn, Odessa, Kiev, Chernovtsy and Zakarpatye regions. "The program foresees collaboration between Moldova-Ukraine, Ukraine-Belarus", the official pointed out.

He explained that the prospective joint efforts will involve "not only facilities and infrastructure issues but also those concerning culture and education so that it can boost regional development." The funding for implementing the program will be provided by three sources: 1,349 bln hryvnias ($53 mln) will be taken from Ukraine’s state budget and 206 mil hryvnias ($8 mln) from regional budgets. And lastly, €31.7 mln will be provided by the European Union.