Union State programs beneficial for Belarus, don't result in loss of sovereignty - Belarusian PM

MINSK. Jan 12 (Interfax) - Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said that the country fully preserves its sovereignty when implementing the Belarus-Russia Union State programs.

"While implementing them [the Union State programs], we have not lost a single gram of sovereignty over those decisions in the socioeconomic sphere that are being made at the national level," he was quoted by the STV state television channel as saying to reporters following a meeting chaired by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on the implementation of the integration programs in the Union State with Russia on Thursday.

The ongoing policy "is bringing us certain economic dividends," Golovchenko said. "It was a conscious decision, which was approved by the two heads of state. They outlined the trajectory of movement, the tasks that face those government agencies that are implementing the union programs. We in the government are unanimous in the opinion that the programs are working for the benefit of Belarus," the prime minister said.