Integration on mutually beneficial terms

The implementation of the integration programmes of the Union State, adopted a little over a year ago, was discussed at a meeting with the President of Belarus

“We then agreed that their implementation would make it possible to make significant progress towards ensuring equal rights for citizens and business entities of the two countries. This is the basis on which we are building relations with fraternal Russia — equal conditions for people and enterprises. That is why we agreed to comprehensive solutions to many issues of co-operation with the Russian Federation,” explained the Head of State.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, this primarily concerns integration in the economic sphere, creating conditions for cooperation between enterprises of both countries. The programmes and departmental plans contain about a thousand measures for their implementation, specific deadlines and responsible persons have been established. 

Photo by BELTA

“About 70 percent of such activities have already been completed. However, some of the important events for us are lagging behind the agreed schedules,” said the President. “As I am informed, our Russian partners are moving slowly on a number of issues. But I always say: there is no such situation when only one person is to blame, and the others are good. In some cases we have to work more.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that significant work had been done to form and adjust the legal framework for interstate co-operation.
“But, despite the implementation of most of the measures, Belarus has not yet felt any noticeable progress, primarily in the areas of energy, industry, and transport,” said the President. “Implementation of programmes to form united markets for gas, oil and oil products required the issue to be raised to the highest level. During the December talks with the President of Russia, the necessary solutions were found (for at least three years). Work is now underway to consolidate the agreements reached in existing documents.”
As for such important areas as harmonisation of tax legislation, coordination of tax and customs control on the borders of the Union State, the President emphasised that everything should be transparent.
A proposal to ratify the Treaty on General Principles of Taxation on Indirect Taxes was submitted to the Head of State for consideration. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the current wording of the agreement provides, among other things, for the creation of an additional interstate Supranational Tax Committee. The Head of State questioned the name itself and asked for clarification on this issue.

“I emphasise once again: in this case, we are not talking about maintenance, about the loss of some part of our sovereignty. As taxes were established and laws were adopted earlier in Belarus, so they will be adopted,” said the President. 

“We are independent in making decisions in this important area; only closer coordination of activities with Russian colleagues is expected. And for coordination, this small body is created (Supranational Tax Committee.).”
According to him, this new structure will be focused primarily on improving the tax legislation of the two countries. Similar approaches are in the customs sphere.
The Head of State stressed that within the framework of these agreements, it is important to develop common conceptual approaches and rules that should guide the relevant national authorities of Belarus and Russia, and ‘not double-check each other’.

“Of course, we will continue to deepen economic integration with Russia, but it will be possible to talk about a new package of integration documents only after the implementation of the previous one. Moreover, in full. If at least one point has not been fulfilled, there can be no talk of any new package of integration documents. We firmly agreed on this with the President of the Russian Federation at the last meeting in St. Petersburg,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The President demanded to intensify activities on the implementation of allied programmes to the maximum, avoiding delays and lags in decision-making. But it is necessary to act thoughtfully and thoroughly.
“Especially now, when our countries are jointly resisting the rabid sanctions pressure of the so-called collective West,” added Aleksandr Lukashenko.
The President drew attention to the fact that the governments of Belarus and Russia and the prime ministers personally are responsible for further work on the implementation of integration programmes.
“All the issues that you brought to the level of Presidents have been resolved. Solutions found. We live in normal conditions,” stated the Head of State. “Even the conditions for the functioning of our enterprises, companies and for the lives of people are a little better than last year, and maybe not even a little. I will say frankly: when we asked from Russia something, Russia found a compromise. 

I warn you, there was no talk that Russia or Belarus would give up their sovereignty, and today it does not and cannot happen. There is simply no need for it. We have not yet taken everything from the format in which we co-operate with Russia.”

The President noted that if the parties see in the future that something is missing and additional decisions need to be made in terms of integration and convergence of the economies of states, then the relevant issues will be discussed.
The Head of State emphasised that when 28 union sectoral programmes were approved, it was not just a decision of the Presidents of the two countries. Up to this point, for a long time, the parties have been developing relevant documents and approaches to them, and identifying areas for joint work.
“It’s not just that Putin and I gathered there and ‘made up’ something. No. The responsible officials gathered and discussed at the Supreme State Council. We have approved these programmes. But there were a lot of heated discussions when we adopted these programmes,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.
It was decided that if the two sides are not yet ready to resolve certain issues, then for now it is worth leaving them aside.
“If there is a need, we will decide. So it was said. And these 28 programmes remained. They are socio-economic in nature. And where security issues are reflected. In addition, time has now pushed us in such a way that those security programmes that we approved more than a year ago are already outdated. We have already gone so far in bilateral relations on security issues,” said the President. “That is, life pushed us, and we went for closer integration. That’s how you have to act. Base your decisions on the current conditions. Otherwise, we will break everything.”

Last year, thanks to Union State co-operation, a new school for 1,000 pupils — constructed by Belarusian builders — opened its doors in Russia’s Kaluga Region
Photo: www.rg.ru


Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko stressed in his report that time has proved the correctness of the chosen course: despite serious challenges, sanctions, restrictions and so on, Belarus and Russia continue to develop co-operation in all areas of the socio-economic sphere and achieve results.
“Following the results of 11 months of 2022, the historically maximum volume of mutual turnover in goods and services was reached — $45 billion. I believe that by the end of 12 months (2022, when the statistical results will be finally summed up) we will be able to overcome the bar of $50 billion,” he said.
Roman Golovchenko reported that for the first time for Belarus there is a positive balance in trade with Russia — that is, the value of exports of goods and services exceeds imports. In general, according to the results of the past year, Belarusian exports of goods to the Russian market increased both in physical and value terms.
“We have always had one of the main problems with Russia — a negative balance. We imported more than we sold. And in some years this difference reached $7 billion,” noted the head of government.
In this regard, Belarus had to balance the imbalance through trade with some other countries, the President drew attention, “Which is not very easy when the world is economically divided. But last year we had such a balance.”
Roman Golovchenko stated that Belarusian manufacturers have managed to find ways to intensify work on the Russian market, and great attention is paid to the regions.
“The work with the Russian regions, which was carried out under your leadership, is bearing fruit. Work with each region is under special control, including the embassies of Belarus in the Russian Federation. Here the system is set up. I’m sure it will work the same way this year,” he added.

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by