Lukashenko named the main tasks for the development of cooperation in the Union State

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko outlined the main tasks and directions for the development of cooperation within the Union State, both in the current period and for the future. The head of state made relevant statements at a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State in St. Petersburg, a BELTA correspondent reports.

The head of state stated that based on the results of 2023, the parties will update the historical maximum of trade in goods and services. "Vladimir Vladimirovich mentioned a figure for 10 months – more than $40 billion, but if we take the whole year (goods and services) – it will be about $54 billion. This is truly a historical maximum. Achieving high indicators is largely the result of implementing measures under the 28 union programs, within which fundamental decisions have been made. But we still need to develop common criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of their implementation," the President noted.

Key items on the agenda of the current meeting of the Supreme State Council are the governments' reports on the implementation of the main directions for the provisions of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State for 2021-2023. The agenda also includes the approval of a new program document for the next three-year cycle – for 2024-2026. It envisages the continuation of work on strengthening the common economic space and removing remaining trade barriers.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, it is important to strengthen the international positioning of the union, as is being done in the EAEU.

As the main task in the industrial sector, the President identified the intensification of cooperation in the field of import substitution. Much has already been done. "A lot has been done here. We have understood a lot that we did not understand two years ago. We have not been brought to our knees. On the contrary, we have mobilized and done a lot. Basic intergovernmental agreements have been signed on the recognition of technological operations, on the development of microelectronic technologies, on the design and production of electronic component base, electronic engineering, and on a unified industrial policy. Yesterday, Vladimir Vladimirovich and I very carefully analyzed these issues in the middle of the day using the example of microelectronics," said Alexander Lukashenko.

"I am convinced that the decree prepared for signing will ensure the mutual recognition of technological operations in practice. I believe that governments should take measures for its unconditional implementation in the shortest possible time, without any deviations or exceptions," said the head of the Belarusian state.

Alexander Lukashenko also stated the need to eliminate at all costs everything that hinders mutual supplies of goods, to level the playing field for enterprises, to eliminate barriers in the sphere of public procurement, and to remove restrictions on the transit of goods. "These topics are not new, but we still have enough rough edges in this regard. I would like to particularly note that we have not yet fully decided on the most important issues. This concerns the creation of unified markets for gas, oil, and oil products. This is exactly the time when we can calmly make these decisions. They will be beneficial for both Russia and Belarus," said the President.

According to him, these fundamentally important issues are regularly discussed at negotiations with the President of Russia. "Agreements have been reached. I think that the governments need to implement these agreements more actively," Alexander Lukashenko emphasized.

The President also mentioned the logistics of transporting Belarusian export cargo through Russian ports. In this regard, there are proposals to increase the throughput capacity of the Oktyabrskaya Railway in the direction of the ports of St. Petersburg. "Millions of tons of Belarusian cargo have been reoriented from the ports of the Baltic states to St. Petersburg, Murmansk, and Black Sea ports. But tension exists. Vladimir Vladimirovich and I discussed this issue about three months ago. We decided that the Oktyabrskaya Railway in the direction of St. Petersburg should work more intensively. At the first stage, it requires both a small amount of money and a small amount of work – to restore the sidings," the Belarusian leader shared the details.

The agenda of the Supreme State Council meeting also includes such important topics as the creation of a Union media holding, the settlement of common property issues, and the approval of the Union State's scientific and technological development strategy until 2035.

"I am sure that everyone understands how important it is to conduct a coordinated information policy. There is a powerful information confrontation. Many call it a war. But, thank God, we have not yet reached the point of war, even in the media. But the confrontation is serious. I think if we create a normal media holding, taking into account (existing. – Ed. BELTA) trials and errors, it will be a good holding," the head of state noted.

New fresh ideas, and most importantly, breakthrough economic projects and concrete proposals for the development of cooperation are expected from the XI Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, which will be held in Vitebsk in June.

This year, the Union State will celebrate a number of significant dates. First of all, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State. "These are powerful ideological reasons. We have no right not to use them to promote our values and defend the truth about our common history," emphasized the President of Belarus.

Source: belta.by