Opinions & Interviews

Lebedev: CIS is still in demand
“Results of the session confirm that the Commonwealth of Independent States looks far ahead. I was glad to hear from the heads of the delegations and during the meeting with the Belarus president that the CIS is still in demand and the fact is confirmed with deeds”...

Kobyakov: Minsk has always been at the heart of CIS integration processes
“Minsk has been at the heart of integration processes for 25 years already,” stressed the Prime Minister. “I am convinced that today’s session will add new milestones to the advancement of integration in the Commonwealth of Independent States"...

CEI: Belarus has great potential to fulfill its CEI presidency duties
“This decision is very important both politically and from a strategic point of view, since it opens up many new opportunities for the development of cooperation. Belarus has great potential to fulfill its CEI presidency duties in 2017,” CEI Alternate Secretary General Margot Klestil-Loeffler said...

Lukashenko: Minsk honors its commitments of peaceful talks venue
The President also noted that these days the Belarusian capital has become a venue of international meetings. On 27 October it hosted the EEU intergovernmental meting...

Shamko: Belarus will ease visa rules ahead of 2019 European Games
“We accumulated a wealth of experience during the 2014 worlds. We will involve qualified personnel during the Second European Games in Belarus. As was the case two years ago, all participants and fans will face a much simpler visa application process to enter our country during the European Games. We will try to maximize the experience we gained during the Ice Hockey World Championship”...

Belarus notes progress in achieving Eurasian Economic Union’s strategic goals
“The year 2016 is extremely complicated and challenging with regard to the development of our economies and the evolution of the Eurasian Economic Union. In a number of important areas in these complicated conditions we have managed to achieve either concrete positive results or have managed to secure considerable progress in reaching the strategic goals of the union"...

Russian premier calls for removing barriers, restrictions inside Eurasian Economic Union
“A common space without exemptions, barriers, and restrictions is truly an important component of economic growth. Although we look outwards, trying to come to terms with our partners by means of free trade zone agreements, the removal of internal barriers is even more important”...

Call for equal conditions for Belarusian and Russian manufacturers in Union State
Belarus and Russia have already begun to approximate their industrial policies. According to Grigory Rapota, one of the goals is to create a single completive environment. Most important thing, in his view, is to qualify the product manufactured in the Union State as a single product...

Lebedev: CIS has managed to minimize the impact of global financial, economic challenges
CIS Executive Secretary, Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Sergei Lebedev said at the second CIS international finance and banking forum Minsk Business Meetings...

Belarus calls for joint effort to find new sources of regional growth
“ Using our integration platforms like the Eurasian Economic Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States, we can work out new mechanisms of financial support and mutual development"...

Makei: Small countries can tackle global challenges only via integration processes
“Belarus is a small country, medium in size, but such countries make up the majority. These countries cannot handle their problems on their own particularly in periods of financial and economic crises. This is why we consider participation in integration processes as the only way out”...

Lukashenko: “Integration of integrations” concept is vital today
“We are trying to establish a mutually beneficial dialogue and discuss the ‘integration of integrations’ concept. Our experience clearly demonstrates that now is the time to develop an open dialogue based on mutual trust, rather than draw borders and erect walls”...

Minsk hailed as symbol of dialogue amid challenging times
Christian Friis Bach, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said as he met with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko...

CEI hopes Belarus’ presidency 2017 will bring EC and EEU closer
“In 2017 Belarus will assume the presidency in the Central European Initiative. This will give both the CEI and Belarus new opportunities for cooperation. Belarus’ presidency will also emphasize the importance of the EU Eastern Partnership program and will facilitate contacts with the Eurasian region,” CEI Alternate Secretary General Margot Klestil-Loeffler said...

Belarus views CEI as a platform for dialogue to promote regional stability
“Compatibility in the broadest sense of the term will be the thematic priority of Belarus’ CEI presidency. We understand it as the development of infrastructural links between the CEI member states in transport and energy, and as the creation of synergies, complementary and effective mechanisms for cooperation"...

World Bank: Investors' interest in Belarus increasing
Young Chul Kim emphasized that Belarus’ movement up in the Doing Business will be a good signal for investors. Macroeconomic indicators in the country have stabilized thanks to the consistent and thorough work of the government and the National Bank...

Visa-free entry to Augustow Canal Park to enable new contacts between Belarus, Poland
“The Augustow Canal is a beautiful place. It is very important for the Belarusian side to make it more accessible for foreign tourists. The approach will surely attract visitors," Marshal of Poland’s Podlaskie Voivodeship Jerzy Leszczynski said...

Mammadov: Belarus is an important participant of integration processes in the region
"The conference has become a good platform for the discussion of mounting modern challenges. It is needed to join efforts to work out the strategy of concerted efforts in these changing conditions. These issues are very important for Azerbaijan, too,” Sahib Mammadov said...

UNAIDS welcomes Belarus' contribution to international efforts to end HIV/AIDS
Michel Sidibe expressed his satisfaction with the current level of Belarus-UNAIDS cooperation and welcomed the concerted efforts of the country’s government to give an effective and sustainable domestic response to the problem of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis...

Belarus, Russia named as pioneers of integration processes in post-Soviet space
“Deep and productive integration with the closest neighbors was, is, and will be a natural way of development for Belarus,” the minister said. “Our closest neighbor and strategic partner is Russia, with which we were the pioneers of integration processes in the post-Soviet space”...