14 Mar 2022 16:47

Belarusian PM asking Russia to speed up support for Belarus' economy

MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - In the current circumstances, Belarus is asking Russia to speed up the implementation of some measures to support its economy, which were previously expected to be taken later, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said.

"Bearing in mind the high vulnerability of the Belarusian economy to external shocks, we hope for the Russian Federation's support at this difficult stage," he said during talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

He confirmed Minsk's readiness to implement all agreements on economic integration in the Union State.

"However, there is an acute need for prompt realization of those support measures that were expected to be taken later in today's conditions due to the changes in the situation," Golovchenko said.

"It's the transfer, restructuring of loan debt on the state credits of the government and the financial institutions of Russia. It's the transition to a new pricing system of the supplied Russian oil, which would ensure stable operation of Belarusian oil refineries with minimal profitability. It also includes our proposals to fix the prices on natural gas for the Republic of Belarus in Russian rubles with a link to the current wholesale prices on gas for the nearby Russian regions. It's an increase in the supply of Belarusian machine-building products to the Russian market, including by lifting the remaining administrative restrictions," he said.

Participation of Belarusian manufacturers in the Russian import substitution program is also important, Golovchenko said.

The prime minister also spoke about Minsk's interest "in full-fledged involvement of the defense sector of the Belarusian economy in implementing state defense contracts of the Russian Federation, the lifting of administrative barriers in the sphere of military-technical cooperation."