EEU states should strengthen cooperation amid external pressure – Belarus’ premier

<p> MINSK, Aug 20 – PrimePress. The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states should strengthen cooperation amidst external pressure and carefully monitor the impact of economic pressure in order to mitigate the negative consequences. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made a statement to this effect at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council on 19 August. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Golovchenko said: “There is an increasing external pressure on the EEU member states. We do not want the economy to become hostage to political pressure. In the current conditions, we need to look for new growth drivers. We count on our partners in the EEU, we believe that the EEU market can and should be self-sufficient, especially when it comes to food security and modern technologies. We urge to carefully monitor the impact of economic pressure on the economies of the EEU countries, on industrial cooperation, internal and external trade in order to mitigate the negative consequences. It is important to maintain and intensify our cooperation,” Golovchenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, the EU Council on 25 June 2021 introduced sanctions against largest sectors of Belarus’ economy entities in response to human rights abuse by Belarus authorities and the Ryanair diversion incident of 23 May 2021. The EU Council prohibited EU entities and individuals from purchasing, selling, and provide investment services for or assistance in the issuance of, or otherwise deal with transferable securities and money-market instruments with a maturity exceeding 90 days, issued after 29 June 2021. The government of Belarus, public bodies, corporations or agencies, or entities acting at their direction, are prohibited from acquiring insurance or reinsurance services from the EU. Any payments or disbursements by the European Investment Bank in connection with any existing agreements with the Republic of Belarus or its public authorities shall be prohibited. The ban also applies to continuation of EIB technical aid contracts. </p> <p>   </p> <p> At the EEU online summit on May 21, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said that “the so-called collective West” is not interested in the strengthening of our union and the strengthening of the new rival on the global market. In his words, it is important to assess the negative impact of such external pressure and to start mulling over response measures – from the targeted promotion of import substitution and mutual trade to, if necessary, the introduction of direct restrictive measures within the competence of the union. Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko said following the summit that heads of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) supported the proposal voiced by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko to develop measures to counter the sanctions policy. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said on June 4 that the EEU was discussing possible collective measures in response to the introduction or expansion of sanctions against any country from the Union. However, as early as 7 June, the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry stressed that Kazakhstan was not negotiating "consolidated measures" of the Eurasian Economic Union countries in response to sanctions of third states against its individual members, and in general was against politicising the EEU. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The Eurasian Economic Union is an international economic integration association operating since 1 January 2015. The members of the union are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. End </p>

2021-08-21

Primepress