Communications Ministry supports canceling Russia-Belarus roaming charges; expecting mobile providers to act
MOSCOW. June 30 (Interfax) - Russia's Communications Ministry supports the proposal to cancel international roaming charges between Russia and Belarus, the head of the ministry, Nikolai Nikiforov, said in comments on the proposal from Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko.
"We are in favor, we support it [cancellation of roaming]. Valentina Ivanovna [Matviyenko] rightly noted, however, that Russia and the Republic of Belarus have market economies, so this must be a decision by the operators themselves," Nikiforov said.
"If operators apply to the profile ministry, then we will gladly make the corresponding amendments under one or another statutory act," he said.
Nikiforov said the ministry supports cancellation of roaming throughout the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). "Our ministry is intensively advocating the idea of canceling international roaming in the EAEU space," he said.
Matviyenko called on the Communications Ministry to prepare proposals for canceling roaming payments for citizens of the Union State of Russia and Belarus during a plenary session of the Russian-Belarusian regional forum. She suggested that the ministry be given a month to map out the matter with the Belarusian colleagues and submit proposals on resolving the problem.
