Lukashenko on implementation of Union State programmes: some important events are lagging behind schedules
The President of Belarus has convened a meeting on the implementation of the Union State integration programmes, and among the participants were the heads of the Government, Parliament, President Administration, some ministries and departments. As outlined by the Head of State, the event – held at the Palace of Independence – aimed to discuss how the twenty-eight sectoral programmes adopted a little more than a year ago at a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State are being realised.
“[They are] a programme of our actions for the coming period. We agreed then that their implementation would make it possible to significant progress towards ensuring equal rights for citizens and business entities of the two countries. This is the basis upon which we are building our relations with fraternal Russia. With this in view, we have turned to comprehensive solutions to many issues of co-operation with the Russian Federation, and they primarily concern integration in the economic sphere, creation of conditions for co-operation between enterprises of our countries,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The Head of State reminded that the programmes and departmental plans envisage around a thousand measures for their implementation, while specific deadlines and responsible persons are outlined as well. “About 70 percent of these measures have already been carried out, but some of the ones important for us are lagging behind the agreed schedules. I am reported that our Russian partners are progressing slowly on a number of issues. However, I always say that it never happens when one party is to blame, and the other is good. We are also underworking in some aspects. True, much job has been done to form and correct the contractual and legal framework of our interstate co-operation. Meanwhile, although most of the measures have been implemented, Belarus has not yet experienced any noticeable progress – primarily, in the field of energy, industry, and transport,” he noted.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, there was a need to raise the issue dealing with the implementation of the programmes envisaging formation of united markets for gas, oil and petroleum products to the highest level. “During our talks with the President of Russia in December, the necessary solutions were found – at least, for three years. Work is underway to consolidate the agreements reached in the acting documents,” he said.
