Photo of the Union State Standing Committee
MOSCOW, 3 April (BelTA) – A festive event to mark the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia was held at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia in Moscow on 2 April, BelTA has learned.
“The most important achievement of integration is that our people do not feel they live in different countries. We have two different sovereign states, but the conditions created by the Union State format are, in terms of comfort for people, probably ideal and truly unique across our entire Eurasian space,” Belarus’ Ambassador to Russia Yuri Seliverstov told journalists ahead of the event.
He noted that it was symbolic to launch cross-border suburban rail services between Vitebsk, Orsha, and Smolensk on the same day, 2 April. Citizens can now travel comfortably between border regions using domestic fare rates.
“But in fact, this is only one of many achievements. We move freely, we don’t need visas, we can study, receive medical services, and much more,” he added.
Speaking about the economy, Ambassador Yuri Seliverstov stated that certain technological dependence on Western corporations had been used to pressure Belarus and Russia. However, the two parties managed to quickly establish interstate settlements and ensure the free movement of goods.
“The 30 years we have gone through have benefited the well-being and prosperity of both our citizens and our countries,” the diplomat said.
The evening opened with greetings from Chairman of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko; Russian President Vladimir Putin; and Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. This was followed by the concert Two Souls – One Destiny, featuring artists from both countries: the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Dance Ensemble, the Pyatnitsky State Academic Russian Folk Choir, the Lyudmila Zykina Orchestra of Folk Instruments, People’s Artist of Belarus Anatoly Yarmolenko, the folk group Kupalinka, Honored Artist of Russia Marina Devyatova, and other performers and ensembles.
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