EU ready to help Belarus reduce energy dependence on Russia – Polish prime minister
<p> MINSK, Aug 19 - PrimePress. The European Union is willing to help Belarus reduce its energy dependence on the Russian Federation, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said after the EU extraordinary summit held on August 19. </p> <p> </p> <p> Until recently, the Belarusian economy relied on preferential terms for the procurement of energy commodities from Russia, he said. The gradual change in this economic model has weakened the Belarusian economy. </p> <p> </p> <p> “EU’s assistance does suggest significant expenses for the Union, yet it could be a very important stabilization factor for Belarus,” he said. </p> <p> </p> <p> According to Morawiecki, the EU could “work out tools to reduce Belarus’ dependence on Russia”. “This is in the interests of Belarus, as well as of Poland and the European Union,” he said. </p> <p> </p> <p> Russia links the resolution of almost all bilateral economic cooperation issues with the signing of 31 roadmaps for greater integration in the Belarus-Russia Union State. The parties say that 28 roadmaps have been agreed on in December 2019. They continue disagreeing on the most complex points, including oil and gas cooperation. For example, Russia agrees to compensate for losses resulted from the tax maneuver by subsidizing the reverse excise tax for the Belarusian refineries from the Russian budget, but only provided that the tax legislation of the two countries is unified. The roadmap on this point has not been signed, and the unified tax code is planned to come into effect in January 2022 at the earliest. </p> <p> </p> <p> At present, Belarus is making efforts to diversify the oil import amid periodic price disputes with the Russian Federation. In 2020, Belarus purchased oil from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Norway, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The oil is being delivered by sea via the ports of Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Odessa (Ukraine). In February 2020, PERN, the operator of the Polish section of the Druzhba pipeline, announced the plan to organize pipeline transportation of oil via the port of Gdansk eastward through the Gdansk-Plock and Plock-Adamowo sections. The Adamowo Zastawa oil pumping station is located on the linear part of the Druzhba pipeline near the border shared with Belarus. End </p>
2020-08-19
Primepress
MINSK, Aug 19 - PrimePress. The European Union is willing to help Belarus reduce its energy dependence on the Russian Federation, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said after the EU extraordinary summit held on August 19.
Until recently, the Belarusian economy relied on preferential terms for the procurement of energy commodities from Russia, he said. The gradual change in this economic model has weakened the Belarusian economy.
“EU’s assistance does suggest significant expenses for the Union, yet it could be a very important stabilization factor for Belarus,” he said.
According to Morawiecki, the EU could “work out tools to reduce Belarus’ dependence on Russia”. “This is in the interests of Belarus, as well as of Poland and the European Union,” he said.
Russia links the resolution of almost all bilateral economic cooperation issues with the signing of 31 roadmaps for greater integration in the Belarus-Russia Union State. The parties say that 28 roadmaps have been agreed on in December 2019. They continue disagreeing on the most complex points, including oil and gas cooperation. For example, Russia agrees to compensate for losses resulted from the tax maneuver by subsidizing the reverse excise tax for the Belarusian refineries from the Russian budget, but only provided that the tax legislation of the two countries is unified. The roadmap on this point has not been signed, and the unified tax code is planned to come into effect in January 2022 at the earliest.
At present, Belarus is making efforts to diversify the oil import amid periodic price disputes with the Russian Federation. In 2020, Belarus purchased oil from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Norway, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The oil is being delivered by sea via the ports of Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Odessa (Ukraine). In February 2020, PERN, the operator of the Polish section of the Druzhba pipeline, announced the plan to organize pipeline transportation of oil via the port of Gdansk eastward through the Gdansk-Plock and Plock-Adamowo sections. The Adamowo Zastawa oil pumping station is located on the linear part of the Druzhba pipeline near the border shared with Belarus. End