Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko bitter about Russian complaints about Belarusian milk

MINSK, 1 March (BelTA) – Problems with Belarusian milk sales in Russia were discussed as Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko met with Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Rusy on 1 March, BelTA has learned.

The head of state noted that Belarus and Russia had once again started quarreling about milk deliveries. Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Rusy was instructed to sort things through.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “But I want to say that such things will not go unanswered. We will not tolerate it. The intelligence service tells me that Russia has imported some milk powder from New Zealand or from somewhere else, it is up to them, there is an excess now and they’ve decided to slow down our sales in order to sell that milk at high prices. This is why they don’t like our cheap milk.”

“We are going to sell our milk to them for the price we deem right. They may choose to raise the prices that Russian citizens pay if Russians, Moscow residents, or Saint Petersburg residents are fed up with New Zealand milk already. This is why I am eager to learn how the problem is being resolved,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

During the meeting Alexander Lukashenko also asked Mikhail Rusy about problems in agriculture at the moment. He wondered whether the current weather conditions are having an effect on the state of affairs. “Winter is trying us. Thank god, genuine winter has arrived in Belarus, just the kind of winter we had when we were kids. This is why I’d like to know the state of affairs in agriculture. I’d like to know how our animal farms, which we’ve built using cutting-edge technologies, are handling it. What are your concerns?” asked Alexander Lukashenko.

The president drew attention to the situation in forestry industry. “It is a total mess. Bribe taking is rampant. We will give an estimate of you, too. The deputy prime minister should have straightened things out over there,” warned Alexander Lukashenko.

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