MINSK, 21 August (BelTA) –To install technical infrastructure on the Belarusian-Russian border, according to preliminary estimates, will cost the budget Br2.5-3 billion, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said in an interview with the ONT TV channel on 20 August, BelTA has learned.
During the interview, Roman Golovchenko was asked to comment on some of the proposals that the opposition offers in its program of changes. In particular, they propose to impose customs and border controls on the Belarusian-Russian border, to withdraw from the Union State. According to the prime minister, as soon as such proposals arose, the government made estimates how much the border equipment would cost. This will require some Br2.5-Br3 billion, and about three to five years to implement the project. This is, however, only the economic side of the issue, the head of government said.
“Apart from purely technical issues, let us take a look at the matter from a human point of view, what its benefits for us are. According to various data, some 650,000 Belarusians live in the Russian Federation, either working or receiving education there. They enjoy the same rights as the citizens of the Russian Federation. Should we throw all this away? They suggest we switch to commercial relations, the rights of a foreign citizen. Is that what our people want?” Roman Golovchenko asked a rhetorical question.