MINSK, 27 May (BelTA) – Belarus counts on Russia's support in conditions of the increased pressure from the West. Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made the statement as he met with Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin, BelTA has learned.
Roman Golovchenko said: “Events of the last few days indicate growing pressure of Western countries on Belarus. Contrary to international rules and norms and despite Belarus' immediately expressed readiness for an unbiased and full investigation of the international incident with the landing of the Ryanair aircraft in the Minsk National Airport, restrictions on flights of [the Belarusian air carrier] Belavia to European countries were introduced immediately and recommendations were given for European air carriers to avoid flights via Belarus. An outrageous thing happened to [Belavia's] Minsk-Barcelona flight yesterday: information was received that France's air space was closed and the aircraft had to return to Minsk. Such measures will have economic consequences for our country. In this situation we certainly count on support of the closest ally – the Russian Federation.”
The Belarusian prime minister suggested considering the possibility of fully resuming transportation by air between Belarus and Russia up to pre-COVID levels. “We suggest increasing the number of flights to popular destinations and allowing the Belarusian air carrier to fly to new destinations, in particular, the airports of Sochi and Krasnodar. Moreover, the epidemic situation is on the mend. Our healthcare agencies actively interact. We are busy vaccinating the population. Production of the Russian vaccine has started in Belarus,” he noted.
“I would also like to inform you that according to the information we've been receiving in the last few days the European Union has made a political decision to introduce sectoral economic sanctions in order to assumedly bring down the country's economy and enable conditions for more attempts to stage a coup. Western countries consider the economic branches that make a tangible contribution to the GDP as pressure points. Those are oil refining, production of fertilizers, and other sectors,” Roman Golovchenko added. In his words, such decisions also affect Russian interests. “Literally today the head of the European diplomacy stated that the prohibition to export fertilizers and a ban on the transit of Russian gas via Belarus will be the first measures in the draft package of sanctions. It is obvious the measures are designed to prohibit purchases from the gas pipelines that are owned by the Russian Federation and cross Belarus. Those are the Yamal-Europe pipeline and the gas transportation system Gazprom Transgaz Belarus,” Roman Golovchenko said.
“We should pragmatically and constructively respond to such a policy of our Western partners,” Roman Golovchenko concluded.
