Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 29 April (BelTA) – If partners are not ready to implement the agreements, they should postpone the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) for some ten years, Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko said at a narrow-participation session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on the level of the heads of state on 29 April, BelTA has learnt.

“So little time is left before we sign the treaty. A question arises: with what will we approach the union?” the Belarusian leader asked.

Alexander Lukashenko had to admit that there are already a number of matters on which the partners disagree and the list of these issues is alarming. “We gathered here to resolve them,” he said.

“They suggest leaving unresolved issues as they are, though these issues were supposed to be removed at the previous stages. We strongly believe that we should reach certain milestones, one of them is a full-fledged Customs Union. No restrictions should be left between its member states, no matter how sensitive these issues are,” the Belarusian President said. In his view a negative precedent will be created if the partners preserve any restrictions on the movement of goods, in particular, energy.

“The approaches put forward during the talks arouse many questions. Some suggest implementing certain agreements in 10 years, that is by 2025, which sounds odd, to put it mildly. If we are not ready to do it now, we should openly admit it,” the Belarusian leader said.