MINSK, 24 April (BelTA) – There is a need to consider in detail all the issues that have accumulated in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said in his State of the Nation Address on 24 April, BelTA has learned.
“We need to give a thorough consideration to the issues which are currently on the agenda in the EAEU, make concrete decisions and implement them. Either we move forward or we imitate this movement. The latter is inadmissible,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
According to Alexander Lukashenko, a lot is said every year about the need to create equal conditions for economic entities, remove exceptions, barriers and restrictions in mutual trade, address issues related to technical regulations, sanitary and veterinary measures. “Despite all the efforts and certain progress, things are still where they are,” the head of state said.
“The matters crucial for full-fledged development are addressed at a very slow pace and often inefficiently. The work is protracted due to the inconsistent position of our EAEU partners. While the deepening of integration and removal of barriers are declared at the high level, in practice we can see a different approach: instead of being abolished, unilateral restrictive measures are actively applied,” said the president.
Alexander Lukashenko also touched upon the situation in Armenia, noting that the EAEU partners are also among those to blame for what is happening in the country. He recalled the protests that took place about a year ago, when the Armenian government raised the price for natural gas. “Did not that situation depend on us? Did not it depend on Russia? This is how we will be destroyed one by one. Instead of thinking everything over and start solving these issues together, we fight with each other,” the Belarusian leader said.
He also cited the recent situation with the supplies of Belarusian dairy products to Russia. “Why bring milk powder from New Zealand when Belarus is nearby? Why decide against cooperation and close the border with Belarus?” the head of state said.
“By going against one another, we are losing each other,” he said.
