Lukashenko proposes updating Belarus-Russia Union's agenda, increasing financing of joint programs

MINSK. Jan 9 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has proposed updating the agenda of the Belarus-Russia Union State, holding an in-person meeting of its top leadership, and increasing the financing of its programs.

"Frankly speaking, we need to update the Union State's agenda, and we should start with reviewing the outcomes of the path that we have covered and making some plans for the future. To this end, we need to convene the top bodies of our Union State in an in-person format and hold such a meeting. I think the algorithm that we could choose should imply the Council of Ministers' gathering for a meeting, and based on its outcomes, we'll determine a time for the Supreme State Council's session, which will be held at the level of the top officials of our Union State," the Belarusian presidential press service quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with Belarus-Russia Union Secretary of State Dmitry Mezentsev in Minsk on Monday.

Concerning financing, Lukashenko has categorically warned against reducing expenditures on the Union's programs.

"The economic, scientific, humanitarian, and other programs that we finance must not be reduced under any circumstances. We need only to increase the financing based on relevant principles of our work in the economy, such as import substitution and so on. This is what our states, both Belarus and Russia, need now, among other things," Lukashenko said.