MINSK, 27 February (BelTA) – Decisions concerning the development of the Union State need to be taken in concordance with the principles and the order stipulated in the 1999 Treaty. Unilateral decisions are inadmissible, Chairman of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich said as he addressed the joint meeting held by the Council for Cooperation of Local Government Bodies under the Council of the Republic and the Council of the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus. The meeting focuses on the main areas for sustainable development of territories as part of the efficient regional policy aimed at improving people's quality of life, BelTA has learned.
“Decisions on further development of the Union State need to be taken in accordance with the principles and order envisaged in Article 2, i.e. in coordination. One-sided decisions are inadmissible. The parties need to outline the areas of further advancement of integration in line with Article 17 and Article 18. They list everything. If we fail to take these approaches into account, the interaction will become more difficult. Russian goods are our biggest competitors on the common market. Why? Quality and prices are similar while economic conditions of Russian manufacturers are more comfortable, especially in terms of energy and other raw materials,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.
He stressed that the Union State Treaty is relevant today. “The allied relations should develop on the basis of the principle enshrined in Article 6 of the treaty on preserving sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity by each member state, the Constitution and other attributes of statehood. The external border of the Union State should be protected in the manner prescribed by the parties at the time of signing the treaty, i.e. independently,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said. With regard to phases of integration, the speaker said that this theme has been studied and tested in the world, and should not be broken.
