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Belarus’ interests in Customs Union covered
From: BelTA
/909536325B644A8D42257680004424AF/$File/02.jpg?OpenElement) |
| President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko with Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on 30 November |
The Customs Union stands for mutual concessions, mutual support and the huge market. There is nothing to fear, said the head of state.
“The creation of the united customs territory should be complete as from 1 July 2010,” reminded the President. “After that the commission we are setting up will take control over imports”. “Import money is the money for the budget. This is why we took such a scrupulous attitude to it during the talks,” he said.
The President said that Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia have different economies. “We are not that much of competitors. Well, we have MAZ, Russia has KamAZ. It means that we should protect the domestic manufacturer with duties and so on. Kazakhstan doesn’t have such manufacturers but they joined us. We don’t produce cars but Russia does. Russia would like to protect these enterprises. If we do favors for Russians, then Russians will do favors for us in other areas and so on,” said the President.
Yet he said that car duties are a sensitive issue for the Belarusian economy, this is why no final decision has been made yet. “We put it aside as far as natural persons are concerned. We are talking about juridical persons. Cars are actually the only point that people are truly worried about,” said the head of state. He remarked: “If we import less second-hand garbage here, there is nothing to fear. We will win other points”.
The Customs Union is being created for the people “because it will be easier for MAZ, BelAZ and other companies to work without barriers on this huge market,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.
He said that the Customs Union topic was touched upon as he met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on 30 November. “As soon as we inked the Customs Union papers, Berlusconi saw not a 10 million strong Belarus, but the huge economic space that can be accessed via Belarus,” said the President. “Which way do they want to access this space? Belarus. Not Russia or Kazakhstan, but here, the center of Europe,” added the President.
“We agreed that they may start manufacturing here, the terms are better here than those in Italy. The workforce cost is different and so on. They may trade wherever they want: both in the European Union and our customs space. Belarus looks even more preferable in this regard than Russia and Kazakhstan,” remarked Alexander Lukashenko.
“Thus the Customs Union that we have created will slightly improve the situation in comparison with the present situation,” concluded the head of state. “It should be understood that without the Customs Union the united economic space will not exist. And it is the thing we are most interested in. In Astana, if we meet on 18 December, we will determine when we reach the united economic space”.
Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the united economic space will remove all economic barriers and thus will address all problems for Belarusian producers. Grounds for trade wars that happen in Belarus-Russia relations will be removed as well. “This way we will return to the huge USSR-scale market through the market economy,” said the Belarusian head of state.
The President also reminded that the three countries had agreed to enter to the WTO together. “We have weighed all pros and cons. Decisions on 600 sensitive issues will be made via consensus, we have arranged it,” he specified.
“We had a sincere talk regarding the creation of the united economic space. We don’t want it to take long. I think we can do it within a year and a half,” concluded Alexander Lukashenko.
Customs Union Commission to sit in St Petersburg 10 December
The 12th session of the Commission of the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan will be held in Saint Petersburg on 10 December. The draft agenda of the meeting is available on the official website of the Customs Union Commission, BelTA has learned.
The Commission is expected to consider reports about the fulfillment of intrastate procedures required for adopting international agreements at the session of the EurAsEC Interstate Council (the supreme body of the Customs Union) of heads of government on 11 December. The agenda also includes the organization of negotiations on WTO accession, the concept of unified trade terms of the Customs Union.
The session is also expected to table the results of the intrastate adjustment of a draft concept of the integrated information system for the Customs Union’s domestic and foreign trade, a draft agreement on the creation, functioning and development of this system and other issues.
The previous session of the Customs Union Commission was held in Minsk on 27 November. The session made decisions on single customs and tariff regulations, single non-tariff regulations of the Customs Union as well as tariff regulations of sugar import in the Customs Union.
Belarus-Italy cooperation expected to improve
From: BelTA
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Welcoming Silvio Berlusconi in Minsk, Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that a long time had passed since their previous meeting in Rome. Since then meetings with several Italian politicians and heads of major companies have taken place. “At these meetings in Minsk we said that we should get ready for the visit of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Italy properly. It means that we had to work on cooperation avenues rather diligently and comprehensively,” said the Belarusian head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko said that a lot of work had been done in this regard. “We are ready to advance to a certain level of cooperation not only between the states but also between companies,” stressed the Belarus President.
Plans for Italian industrial district in Belarus unveiled
There are plans to set up an Italian industrial district in the Brest oblast of Belarus. Submitted by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the relevant proposal was approved by Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as he met with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on 30 November.
“I was especially pleased to hear this proposal of Belarus,” said Silvio Berlusconi. He believes that the present trade and economic relations between Belarus and Italy are below their potential.
Silvio Berlusconi reminded that Italy ranks ninth in Belarus’ trade turnover and fifteenth in the volume of investments in the Belarusian economy. It is far below the capacity, stressed the Italian PM.
Silvio Berlusconi once again underlined the importance of the documents on intergovernmental cooperation and Belarus’ cooperation with the industrial group Finmeccanica that the sides signed on 30 November. The contract will pioneer many other projects, said Silvio Berlusconi. He said he was sure Belarus and Italy will soon sign an agreement on enhancing cultural cooperation.
“I would like once again to underline my desire to welcome a major delegation of Italian businessmen to Belarus,” said the Italian head of government.
Silvio Berlusconi also took a favorable view of the creation of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
In conclusion the Italian PM told Alexander Lukashenko: “I wish luck to you and your nation that loves you as the election results we can see testify”.
Berlusconi’s visit viewed as support for Belarus in international arena
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko believes the visit of Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is a pronounced gesture in support of Belarus in the international arena. The Belarusian head of state made the statement as he met with the Italian Prime Minister on 30 November.
Belarus welcomes the arrival of the Italian head of government as quite a pronounced gesture in support of Belarus in the international arena, said Alexander Lukashenko.
“I am sure that our meeting will give a clear signal to the governments, ministries, agencies, local administrations, business, scientific, cultural circles of Belarus and Italy to step up joint work and will give a go-ahead to joint business projects,” said the Belarusian head of government.
Alexander Lukashenko believes that Silvio Berlusconi’s decision to go on a working visit to Belarus (the first one in the history of the bilateral diplomatic relations) is of fundamental importance for the future development of the mutually beneficial cooperation between the nations.
The Belarusian head of state stressed that Belarusian-Italian ties are based on good human relations, which are constantly developed thanks to the wide involvement of Italian citizens in Belarusian children health recreation projects. The Belarus President thanked the Italian side for that.
Martynov urges OSCE to cooperate with CSTO, CIS in addressing European security issues
From: BelTA
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“The idea to hold in 2010 a meeting at the level of the OSCE and other international organizations' leadership, dealing with issues of security, such as CSTO, CIS, EU and NATO, is expedient as never before. To use the capacity of such cooperation in full it is essential to engage the parliamentary dimension in the discussion on European security. Therefore we propose to convene a parliamentary conference with participation of the aforementioned organizations at the level, for example, of relevant commissions of these organizations dealing with international affairs and security issues,” Sergei Martynov said.
He also stressed that, the OSCE remains as before an important venue for addressing the European security issues in general. The last year Ministerial meeting in Helsinki and the informal meeting of OSCE Foreign Ministers in Corfu in June have confirmed this status. The Corfu Process has not only reinvigorated the discussion within the OSCE but focused on issues of real topicality and significance. “In this connection we welcome the efforts by the Greek Chairmanship which has given a kick-start to this process. It is perhaps for the first time in recent years that we have approached the beginning of a thematic dialogue on long-standing measures aimed at enhancing transparency and trust in the OSCE area, overcoming the fragmented nature of the European security space, ensuring equal guarantees of security, and gaining progress in settling the frozen conflicts, the minister said.
The Foreign Minister considers that a fundamental achievement of the consultation process that have been launched is “the emerging partners' openness in discussing the issues of enhancing the effectiveness of the OSCE and its executive structures, streamlining the existing instruments and mechanisms”. But the main issue is to make the OSCE a fully-fledged international organization that would possess its own Charter.
Belarus welcomes the continuation of the thematic consultations within the Corfu process. “We stand for a truly inclusive approach based on the account of opinions of all participating states, inviolability of the consensus principle and equal significance of all three dimensions of security. Within the framework of a new round of the Corfu Process we propose to address as first-priority issues the ways of updating the Vienna Document of 1999 and restoring the viability of the CFE Treaty in Europe,” Sergei Martynov said. Counteracting trans-national challenges and threats such as terrorism, organized crime, illegal migration, trafficking in drugs and human beings should naturally remain among our priorities.
It is important to work on further strengthening the OSCE role in the area of protecting critical energy infrastructure, using alternative and renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency. Belarus makes its concrete contribution to developing the energy dialogue. Minsk has hosted a number of OSCE events on energy issues. At the 64th session of the UN General Assembly Belarus has put forward the initiative to elaborate a global mechanism to improve access to technologies of new and renewable sources of energy by the developing states and states with economy in transition. This initiative has already gained a broad support.
“We believe that human dimension activities of the OSCE, following economic and environmental ones, need serious optimization. This should not be some cosmetic half measures, but a whole set of balanced and important decisions,” Sergei Martynov said.
OUNHCHR praises Belarus’ progress in counteracting human trafficking
From: BelTA
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The goal of the visit of the OUNHCHR delegation is to estimate the needs of Belarus in the UN assistance in protecting human rights and idneitfy possible forms and avenues of cooperation.
Margaret Nicholson discussed the counter-trafficking measures with the representatives of the Belarusian law enforcement body. Belarus' great results in this area were in many things due to the creation of the International Training Center on Migration and Combating Human Trafficking. Since 2007 the centre has provided training courses to employees of the law-enforcement bodies and representatives of other state bodies, mass media and public organizations.
Alexander Gavrilov, head of the department for drug control and counteracting human trafficking of the Belarusian Interior Ministry, said Belarus was intent to learn the international experience in this area. He also invited the experts of OUNHCHR to partake in the activity of the International Training Centre.
Following the meeting with the Interior Ministry representatives Margaret Nicholson said it was just the beginning of effective cooperation.
Belarusian Troubadour gets favorable reviews in Netherlands
From: BelTA
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The Dutch audience gave a 20-minute standing ovation to the Belarusian-Dutch opera after the premier at Rotterdam theatre in the Netherlands.
The European critics noted “high level and persuasiveness of the play”, great and “sophisticated” work of the orchestra conducted by Viktor Ploskina, “strong, bright, wide and clear sound”. The audience and the critics were also impressed by the play and voices of lead singers Anastasiya Moskvina, Stanislav Triphonov, Natalya Akinina.
This staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera was prepared by the Belarusian opera jointly with the Dutch company Supierz Music Management. A director and producer of The Troubadour play is Marianne Bergluf, famous Swedish director.
The premier performances of The Troubadour opera by Giuseppe Verdi took place at the stage of the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of Belarus on 25 and 27 October. After that the performance went on tour to the Netherlands. The Minsk audience will be able to watch the play on 6 December.
Belarus remains Russia’s biggest trading partner in the CIS
From: BelTA
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Belarus accounts for 5.1% of Russia’s total trade. “Belarus is among the major trading partners of the Russian Federation,” Vasily Khrol underlined.
Russia is still Belarus’ major trading and economic partner, accounting for 47% of the total trade of Belarus in January-September 2009.
Analyzing the development of the trade between Belarus and Russia over the past years, Vasily Khrol remarked that this figure reached a record high in 2008. At the same time over the nine months in 2009 the bilateral trade shrank. “It was a significant drop in trade, by 40.5%. In January-September 2009, the trade between the two countries made up $16.4 billion.” It was a result of the global crisis, the reduction of the purchasing capacity of the real economic sector and other factors.
The Council of Ministers of the Union State has adopted a crisis management plan to help the two countries cope with the impact of the external shocks. In the near future a session of the Supreme State Council and a session of the Council of Ministers of the Union State will be held to discuss the economic issues of Belarus and Russia, and the implementation of the crisis management plan. Apart from that, the sides will discuss the balance of energy resources, a new energy cooperation programme, the military cooperation of Belarus and Russia.
Belarus, China agree on new innovation program
Belarusian State University, Belarusian National Technical University, its technological cluster Metolit and the International Innovation Park in Wuxi, China, have signed an agreement on the joint implementation of an innovation and business program for the Belarusian exporters, BelTA learnt from the technological park Metolit.
The document was signed during an exhibition of scientific and business innovations in the International Innovation Park in Wuxi.
The sides agreed on establishing a platform of innovations and entrepreneurship in the innovation park of Wuxi to test the research of the Belarusian specialists. “The sides will mainly cooperate in sensory and information technologies, software, outsourcing, network planning, energy and environment,” Metolit said.
The Belarusian delegation got familiar with the latest innovations of the Wuxi Park and invited Chinese colleagues to visit BNTU, the technological park Metolit, other leading scientific and industrial organizations of Belarus.
The technological park Metolit of the Belarusian National Technical University was founded in 1992. The industrial cluster develops, assimilates and batch produces new technologies, materials and equipment. Metolit also aids small innovation companies promoting their products.
Time between Customs Union, single economic space must be minimized
The time between the foundation of the Customs Union and the single economic space should be minimal, Belarus Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov told media on 2 December.
“We are now carrying out the first phase – the Customs Union foundation. The single economic space will be the next step. The Belarusian side believes that the time between the foundation of the Customs Union and the creation of the single economic space must be minimal,” said the Vice Premier.
He remarked that outlining the external borders of the economic union is the first step. “When the decision to outline the borders is made, when the unified customs tariffs are adopted, interests of the countries that have their own national producers are naturally taken into account. The tariff protection and competition rules should exist together,” remarked the Vice Premier. The signed documents take into account all these things. “But it is just the first step. It is not enough to protect the external border, it is necessary to build transparent and understandable economy operation rules inside this economic institution,” said Andrei Kobyakov.
In H1 2010 efforts will be channeled into removing as many mutual trade restrictions as possible by 1 July 2010 when the single customs territory is created. The instruction has been given by the presidents. “We will also create the legislation base of the single economic space in a way to enable equal economic terms for all economic operators in this territory and to observe equal competition principles,” remarked the Vice Premier. In his words, it is a complicated matter which includes equal prices for essential production factors (primarily energy resources) and equal subsidizing terms, creation of a competition environment in the three states. The observation of these proportional measures will signify that truly equal terms have been granted to all economic operators, stressed Andrei Kobyakov.
Belarus hopes for closer West ties in Berlusconi visit
From: Reuters
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| Silvio Berlusconi |
The visit, the first by a Western leader in more than a decade, ended with a private dinner with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko who visited Italy earlier this year.
Ties between ex-Soviet Belarus and Western countries turned frosty in the mid-1990s, when European and U.S. governments and rights groups made frequent criticisms of Minsk's approach to human rights and democratic standards.
"We consider your visit ... as an eloquent gesture in support of Belarus in the international arena," Lukashenko said.
"Italy for us is a privileged partner in Europe," he told a news briefing after talks with Berlusconi.
Berlusconi stopped short of mentioning Belarus's ties with the EU or human rights but still made a political quip.
"Thank you and thanks to your people who, I know, love you, as is demonstrated by the election results which everybody can see," Berlusconi told Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and once tagged "Europe's last dictator" by the George W. Bush administration.
The European Union accused Lukashenko of rigging his re-election in 2006 and imposed sanctions including a visa ban on dozens of top officials.
The EU suspended the visa ban a year ago to encourage reforms and extended the suspension for a year earlier this month. A freeze on Belarus government assets in the EU remains in place.
ELECTORAL LIBERALISATION
Officials also signed a memorandum of understanding between the Belarus government and Italian engineering group Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI) on cooperation in energy, transport and space matters. No details were made available.
Hours before Berlusconi arrived, Belarus's compliant parliament backed amendments aimed at liberalising the electoral law. The assembly voted by 104 to 0 at the first reading in favour of the changes, which were proposed by Lukashenko.
"We have given a maximum of attention to the proposals made by the European Union and the OSCE. In some cases, we have moved even further," Belarus's Central Election Commission Chairwoman Lidia Yermoshina told reporters after the vote.
The changes include a simplified procedure for registering candidates, and allows them to fund their own campaigns.
Under the new rules, representatives of political parties would make up one third of the members of local election commissions and would have wider control over vote counting.
Lukashenko's shift towards warmer relations with Europe is watched with unease in Russia, whose ties with its traditional ally have deteriorated in recent years as the rising prices for Russian energy have hampered the Belarussian economy.
Minsk has also avoided recognising Georgia's Russian-backed separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, a move sought by Moscow, but opposed by the West.
Customs Union Agreed With Belarus, Kazakhstan
From: The St. Petersburg Times
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| Medvedev, Lukashenko and Nazarbayev walking and talking together before talks on a customs union on Friday. |
President Dmitry Medvedev met with his counterparts Alexander Lukashenko and Nursultan Nazarbayev in Minsk on Friday, where they agreed to the creation of a unified customs tariff, which will start Jan. 1, as well as a unified customs code, which will go into effect July 1.
“This is a very significant and long-awaited event, which has come into being through very difficult negotiations,” Medvedev told a news conference after the meeting, Interfax reported.
About 92 percent of the new tariff regime is based on current Russian duties, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said.
And as Russia has, on average, the highest tariffs of the group, that means that Kazakhstan and Belarus will be raising duties on a wide swathe of items.
“We had to agree with our partners on lowering certain customs tariffs on certain groups of goods, and our partners had to raise certain tariffs,” Shuvalov said, adding that Kazakhstan had to raise tariffs on more than 5,000 items.
“This is a difficult process. … It was necessary to make compromises in order to ensure all the decisions could go into effect starting Jan. 1,” he said.
But with Russia as the largest external market for both Belarus and Kazakhstan, raising tariffs remains a lucrative bet for both countries.
“The creation of the customs union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan will allow the three countries to raise their gross domestic product 15 percent by 2015,” Nazarbayev said. “A common market with a GDP of $2 trillion will be attractive for investors.”
Nevertheless, there are still several sore points remaining in the formation of a unified customs tariff, said Alexei Portansky, head of the information office for Russia’s WTO bid.
“These sore points will affect the economies of each of the three countries — for example, the customs duties on cars in Belarus, which are lower than those in Russia,” Portansky told The St. Petersburg Times.
The countries still haven’t agreed to a set of automobile tariffs, but the Russian side is concerned that the tentative plan for duties would lead to a flood of used cars from Belarus and Kazakhstan and crush the domestic auto market.
While tariffs for Belarussian dealers would jump to the same level as the Russian tariffs, duties for individuals would remain several times lower, which could result in caravans of Belarussian auto runners streaming into Russia.
A number of decisions regarding the customs union don’t correspond to the interests of Belarus in full, Lukashenko said, adding that he hoped that the decisions would nevertheless bring a balance of interests and “common results for all sides.”
Medvedev repeated his assertion that entering the customs union would not affect Russia’s plans to join the World Trade Organization.
“There are two options: Either enter [the WTO] with the customs union, which no longer exists only on paper, or each country can enter with the agreed-upon positions, but separately,” he said, adding that both options were acceptable.
But experts say the new customs union could create an entirely new set of hurdles for Russia’s accession to the WTO.
“The creation of the customs union brings certain problems. Russia has separately come a long way on its accession to the WTO. Now we must explain to our partners in the WTO how and why we’re changing our customs duties,” Portansky said, adding that Russia would have to hold additional negotiations with the organization.
The WTO confirmed that Russia could face new problems with the accession, as it would have to reach a new agreement on its customs duties.
“The creation of the customs union will make Russia’s accession to the WTO more complicated,” WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told The St. Petersburg Times. “Unless all the tariffs are exactly the same as what Russia had previously agreed to and there are no changes as a result of the customs union, Russia will have to go through the whole process again,” Rockwell said.
Russia has been trying to join the WTO since 1993, when it filed an application to join the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the WTO’s predecessor.
But the customs union might be a more lucrative bet for Russia than WTO membership.
“Russia will benefit from the creation of the customs union much more than from its accession to the WTO, since all customs barriers reduce the country’s welfare. The customs union will also attract more foreign investors to the three countries’ common market,” said Alexei Moiseyev, an analyst at Renaissance Capital.
The group also left open the possibility of Kyrgyzstan, already a WTO member, joining the customs union soon.
World Bank issues $200 mln loan to Belarus
From: RIA Novosti
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"The Development Policy Loan to the Republic of Belarus will support the Government's economic program aimed at addressing the social impact of the financial crisis and advancing reforms to help enable a sustained economic recovery," the World Bank said in a news release.
The 16-year loan supports the government's liberalization program to promote private investment and job creation, including measures to lift a major burden from businesses and liberalize prices, gradually eliminate turnover taxes and draft key legislation for launching the privatization process, the bank said.
The ex-Soviet state has received a total of $2.23 billion from the International Monetary Fund in 2009, including the latest tranche of $699.5 million in late October, for economic reforms.
In January 2009, the IMF approved a 15-month standby loan worth about $2.5 billion and the Fund's experts later recommended the loan be increased to $3.63 billion.
Belarus has also received $1.5 billion from Russia. Russia's Finance Ministry has so far refused to disburse the last $500 million tranche, saying it needs to assess the prospects of loan repayment.
Minsk suggests hosting first meeting of Orthodox, Catholic leaders
From: RIA Novosti
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Speaking during an online news conference on Wednesday, Leonid Gulyako, an official in charge of religious and ethnicity affairs, said Belarus was an ideal place for the historic meeting.
"In Belarus, the Orthodox Church has not distanced itself from the Catholic Church. A husband and wife in a family belonging to the two different religions is a common thing in Belarus," Gulyako said adding however that 85% of believers in the country are Orthodox and 12% are Catholics.
The statement echoes an earlier appeal by the ex-Soviet state's leader, Alexander Lukashenko.
Lukashenko was received by Pope Benedict XVI while visiting Italy in April. He invited the Pope to visit Belarus, hinting at his possible meeting with Patriarch Kirill of Russia's Orthodox Church to bridge the schism in 1054 that divided the Christian churches and resulted in political and theological differences.
High-level visits between the churches have become more frequent under Benedict and Kirill, who took office in February after the death of his predecessor, with both churches pledging to improve their relations.
The Moscow patriarchy is yet to permit a pope to visit Russia. Church officials in Moscow have accused Catholics of proselytizing in Russia and highlighted a number of differences on which there is no room for compromise.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is set to meet Pope Benedict XVI for the first time this week while on his visit to Italy, the Kremlin said earlier giving no details about their possible topics of discussion.
Former president and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with Benedict XVI in the Vatican in March 2007.
Berlusconi the admirer of dictators
From: Charter '97
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Silvio Berlusconi never felt uncomfortable to establish working contacts with authoritarian regimes (he has enough clouds on his reputation). The parties discussed only economic issues: Belarusian banks, insurance business, oil refining, chemical enterprises.
Berlusconi’s visit to Minsk, ended late in the evening yesterday, was planned to be short – only three hours. It is surprising how the Italian MP managed to find time for the trip at all as he is involved in three legal proceedings in Italy. Two of them are connected with details of his private life, the third one is criminal (charges with contacts with mafia) that threats to be the end of his career of such an unsinkable politician he seems to be.
This short working visit of Berlusconi has become the first visit of a western leader to Belarus for the last 15 years. After Brussels had frozen visa bans on Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the Belarusian dictator received an opportunity to pay visits to European Union (he visited Italy on invitation of Berlusconi in spring) and European Commission officials sometimes go to Minsk. But it was the first time when the head of a west-European state (moreover, the head of G7 state) has visited Belarus.
Experts say this would mean establishing warmer relations towards Lukashenka if it were not for one detail, in particular, if it weren’t Silvio Berlusconi but another European leader. Italy has traditionally cooperated with defective democracy states. Besides, if Berlusconi stands trial within a week, the meeting with dictator Lukashenka won’t damage his political reputation against the background of his problems, experts believe.
“It is also important that Berlusconi has warm relations with Russia’s leadership, so his contacts with Lukashenka won’t be taken by Moscow as a hostile stance and an attempt to draw Belarus over into the Western orbit,” Timofei Bordachev, the director of Center for European Policy Studies at Higher School of Economics, told in an interview to RBK daily.
The experts asked agree on one thing: Berlusconi arrived in Minsk to lobby interest of Italian capital.
Leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka thinks Berlusconi represents the policy of European pragmatism in Minsk, not the policy of European values. Lyabedzka met and talked with Silvio Berlusconi before and has own opinion on his personality:
“Berlusconi is a scandalous politician. He resembles Alyaksandr Lukashenka; he is inclined to political adventurism. In my view, he made this visit as a businessman, though he is the leader of the EU country. Berlusconi regards everything, including European values, as goods that have prices. I rule out the possibility that the issue of free elections was discussed with Lukashenka. He is not interested in it. he didn’t speak about freedom of press in Belarus – the Italian press is a real headache for him,” Lyabedzka told in an interview to Radio Svaboda.
Politologist Andrei Fyodarau doesn’t think Berlusconi’s visit is a breakthrough in Belarus–West relations:
“The European Union is not an organization where one person, even the leader of such a powerful country as Italy, is able to make decisions. Moreover, we know that Berlusconi is a rather extravagant person and he’s faced certain problems in Italy due to his behaviour. I think the relations with West won’t change much. After Berlusconi’s trip, we should expect other western leaders to visit Minsk. The rest will be more careful. The fact the EU sanctions have been extended proves the Union is still wary of the events here,” the expert told in an interview to Radio Svaboda
Belarusian Society of Disabled People notes lack of government assistance
From: Viasna
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The organization had to halt the construction of many facilities due to the lack of funding from the government a few years ago and the unfinished structures have already started crumbling, Mr. Patapenka said, referring to a factory building in Baranavichy, Brest region, and a health resort in the Braslaw Lakes National Park in northwestern Belarus.
Enterprises run by the Belarusian Society of Disabled People reported a total of 68.3 billion rubels in earnings and paid 9.2 billion rubels in taxes from January through September of this year.
The society has more than 66,000 members, all of whom have first- or second-degree disability. Its enterprises employ over 3,000 staff, including roughly 2,000 disabled people
Russia shifts stance on Iran, Ahmadinejad defiant
From: Reuters
It was a thinly veiled Russian warning to Iran of waning patience with its failure to allay fears it aims to develop atom bombs in secret, and hinted that Iran could no longer rely on Russia to stop tougher world action against it.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance on Tuesday, saying sanctions would have no effect and that no more talks on the nuclear dispute were needed with the West. Speaking on state television, he also criticized Russian action.
Governors of the U.N. nuclear agency passed a resolution on Friday censuring Iran for covertly constructing a second enrichment plant near the holy city of Qom, in addition to its IAEA-monitored one at Natanz, and demanding a construction halt.
Tehran said on Sunday it would build 10 more uranium enrichment sites -- a pledge that Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday was "not a bluff".
Iran's announcement had been in retaliation for the 25-3 vote by the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors, which sailed through with unusual Russian and Chinese support.
"If there is a consensus on Iran sanctions, we will not stand aside," said the Russian diplomatic source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
By referring to "consensus", Russia could be leaving itself an escape hatch since China has been the most resistant to punitive steps against Iran among the six world powers.
The source made clear Moscow would not move so fast to embrace harsher sanctions as the United States and EU powers, who want to act early next year if Tehran has not begun fulfilling IAEA demands for nuclear restraint and transparency by then.
"We will be thinking about sanctions but this is not an issue of the next few hours or weeks," he said.
Russia did not want to complicate the situation with threats against Iran.
"We would rather have Iran cooperating more openly and consistently with the IAEA and showing clear steps to lift concerns -- which are gaining greater foundation -- than introducing sanctions against Iran," the source said.
AHMADINEJAD RESPONSE
In his televised comments, Ahmadinejad dismissed the threat of sanctions and warned any "aggressor" against Iran.
"Sanctions will have no effect. Aggressors will regret their action as soon as they put their finger on the trigger," he said.
Israel has hinted at the possibility of attacking Iranian facilities if it deems diplomacy at a dead end.
Ahmadinejad said Western attempts to isolate Iran were in vain and he criticized Russia.
"Russia made a mistake by backing the anti-Iran resolution and we believe that their analysis in this regard was incorrect," he said.
The Russian source said Iran's plan for 10 more enrichment plants did "not add optimism to talks", in a reference to talks with Tehran revived in October but stalled by disputes.
The United States and its allies fear Iran will divert its declared civilian nuclear energy program to yielding atomic bombs, not electricity. Tehran says it has no such intention.
Concerns have deepened over Iran's retreat from an October deal in principle that would see its low-enriched uranium -- which is potential fissile material for bombs -- sent abroad for processing into fuel for a nuclear medicine reactor in Tehran.
"The situation surrounding the agency is stormy now. We have a lot of difficult challenges," new IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano told reporters on his first day in office after succeeding Mohamed ElBaradei. Amano declined to elaborate.
IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said Iran had not yet informed the U.N. nuclear inspectorate directly of its new enrichment plans and that it would seek clarification from Tehran.
Western diplomats and analysts believe the new enrichment plan may be largely bluster, possibly a negotiating gambit by Iran, and would take many years if not decades to execute.
But analysts said the risk remained of Iran using an array of above-board civilian enrichment plants to camouflage one or two small covert sites geared to enriching uranium to the high purity suitable for nuclear warheads.
Islamists Take Credit for Russian Train Bombing
From: ABC
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In a letter posted on a Web site linked to Chechen militant groups, the Caucasian Mujahedeen writes that a "special operations group" carried out the orders of their leader, Doku Umarov, the self-proclaimed "Emir of the Caucasus Emirate."
"These acts of sabotage will continue for as long as those occupying the Caucasus do not stop their policy of killing ordinary Muslims," the message posted on KavkazCenter.com reads.
Umarov is one of the most wanted men in Russia, a longtime Chechen militant who has led the fight against Russian control of the region for much of the past two decades. Authorities do not have any evidence that the group was involved and refused to comment, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday. The group's claim has not been verified.
The claim could very well be false, says Nikolai Petrov, an expert on the North Caucasus at Moscow's Carnegie Center who believes that North Caucasus elements were involved. He said not to "pay serious attention" because it is in Umarov's interest to claim responsibility whether he was involved or not.
"In his position, it's good to show that he is not only alive but pretty active and capable to organize attacks," says Petrov.
A Russian official said Wednesday that Friday's attack could have derailed two trains, but the Nevsky Express was running late.
"Things could have been much worse," said emergency services official Leonid Belyayev, according to Russian news agencies. "At that moment, two trains were to pass by each other - the Nevsky Express and the ER-200. The Nevsky Express was one minute late, or three kilometers off, given its speed."
All 26 victims of the Nevsky Express blast 250 miles north of Moscow have been found and identified, Russia's emergency services said Tuesday. Another 90 people have been hospitalized and some 150 have sought psychological treatment.
Article continues...
Russia unveils new Sochi 2014 Olympic logo
From: AP
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The lower-case logo is set in a rounded blue typeface and contains no images other than the five Olympic rings, and represents the first time an Internet domain has been part of an Olympic host city's emblem.
The word "sochi.ru" appears above the number "2014" in an apparent reflection, symbolizing the southern city's water-based location on the Black Sea.
"It's very appealing. It's very creative, innovative," International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said at Tuesday's unveiling. "I think it will appeal especially to the young population."
The logo replaces the previous design, a mountain under a snowflake reminiscent of the Soviet star.
Dmitry Chernyshenko, the CEO of the Sochi organizing committee, refused to disclose the cost, saying only it was less than $650,000 spent on London's design for the 2012 Summer Games.
Interbrand produced the logo, which was subsequently approved in a series of national and international surveys, Chernyshenko said.
Chernyshenko said the new logo would help break Western stereotypes of a Russia stuck in the past, instead promoting the country as a dynamic and modern nation capable of reaching out to new audiences in a digital age.
"In a lot of ways Russia, for the rest of the world, is still a mystery," Chernyshenko said.
Another unveiling ceremony took place Monday on Red Square despite the country being in mourning over the 26 killed in Friday's train derailment. Officials say it was a terror attack, and dozens have remained hospitalized.
IOC officials said they had received assurances from Russia that the 2014 Games near the North Caucasus region, afflicted by continuing violence, would not be threatened by terrorism.
Most media were banned at the last minute from Monday's Red Square party and a television broadcast was postponed. It was unclear when authorities were planning to televise the ceremony.
Internet blogs were awash with photographs from the elaborate celebration, which appeared to feature top government officials, pop stars, fireworks and a show on a specially built ice rink.
Plundering the economy
From: WBJ
Not long ago there was a “Wild West” attitude in Poland towards copyright infringement. The big firms, striving to appear respectable in the eyes of their Western counterparts, did things by the book – licensed software, registered hardware and so on. Among smaller firms, however, it was common enough to make use of less legitimate solutions. The authorities largely turned a blind eye.
For the everyday consumer in Warsaw, a trip to the Stadion (10th Anniversary Stadium) or any number of smaller bazaars would yield contraband cigarettes and alcohol as well as pirated music, software and video games. On those occasions when the odd police patrol sauntered through, vendors a few meters ahead would casually unfurl makeshift tarps to cover their illicit goods, only to hastily uncover them once the patrol had passed by.
But to quote Bob Dylan, whose poorly photocopied face adorned many of the CDs on sale at the recently demolished Stadion, “the times they are a-changin’.” Poland’s police have begun cracking down on piracy, as evidenced by the early November closure of OdSiebie.com, a popular file-sharing site, and the arrest of its administrators. It is estimated that four million people may have visited the site since it opened in June 2008 and that losses to copyright holders amounted to at least zl.250,000.
Meanwhile, in October a man in Sopot was detained by police on suspicion of selling illegal movies over the internet. His collection exceeded 3,000 titles.
Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing is very popular in Poland. According to a November 2008 Symentec report on the black-market economy, the country ranked sixth in the world in terms of the number of files uploaded on P2P platforms. Five percent of all files on these platforms were uploaded from Poland; for games the total was eight percent.
According to Money.pl, software, music and film piracy now result in around zl.2.5 billion in losses every year, a figure it based on research from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the Foundation for the Protection of Audio-Visual Creativity and the International Intellectual Property Alliance. Regardless of the exact cost of piracy, however, experts agree that it’s a major problem.
The way the music died
The proliferation of mp3 players in the Polish market over the past few years has led to an explosion of illegal file-sharing. According to the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry, only two percent of digital music files in Poland have been purchased legally. In 2008 alone, there were five million illegal music downloads in Poland every week, the organization calculated.
Yet it seems that Poles are growing more used to the idea of paying for music. Growing affluence, crackdowns on file-sharers and better pricing models have all had a hand in this.
Last year Polkomtel, the operator of the Plus GSM mobile-phone services brand, launched Muzodajnia.pl, an online music store. The service is not limited to Plus subscribers and the average price per song is zl.0.08.
The Polish market for paid music downloads is nascent and competition is low. The world market leader, Apple’s iTunes service, remains notably absent from Poland, having in the past cited technical and legal obstacles. Petter Ahrnstedt, an Apple spokesperson for Poland and the Nordic countries, told WBJ that the firm had nothing new to say regarding this matter.
And yet there’s no guarantee that tougher enforcement would help grow the legal downloading market. According to a survey conducted last year by D-Link, 10 percent of Polish internet users would switch to a slower connection if blocked from downloading music and movies. A further six percent claimed they would simply stop using the internet at home and a total of 37 percent said the internet would be less attractive in general.
Corporate criminals?
It’s not just kids trading music files that have drawn the attention of Poland’s law enforcement community. Last August, police in Gdansk raided an architectural studio which had 46 different graphics programs illegally installed on its hardware. The next day law enforcement officers in Pozna? arrested the owners of a firm manufacturing industrial equipment which was using unlicensed software worth at least zl.100,000.
According to the BSA, the use of unlicensed software by EMEA region companies cost the industry $10 (zl.27.49) million in H1 2009. During this period Polish firms paid $74,000 (zl.203,469) in compensation for illegal software use and $12,000 (zl.32,999) to license the programs.
Jaros?aw Szawlis, CEO of Wroc?aw-based business software producer InsERT, claims that the problem of “hard piracy” – when management deliberately and knowingly installs illegal software on company equipment – has always been marginal.
“A bigger problem is ‘involuntary piracy,’ when a lack of legal knowledge about software licenses causes confusion among users,” he said.
“If I buy software for company A and don’t use it there, can I use it in my company B? If I buy software for one computer, can I install it on other computers in the firm? Can I use the software via virtual private network? If the firm changes its corporate form, can I still use the same software legally?” Mr Szawlis asked, listing common questions. Additional confusion arises, he noted, because software vendors alter their licenses with every update.
“We often become pirates without even being aware of it,” he said.
The “2008 Global Software Piracy Study,” created by the BSA and research firm IDC, showed that 56 percent of computers in Poland had illegal software installed on them. Only Greece, Romania and Bulgaria had higher rates among EU27 countries.
The software piracy rate in Poland has been slowly falling over the last few years, down from 59 percent in 2004, but at the same time financial losses associated with the practice have grown quickly. In 2004 these amounted to around $379 million, whereas last year the estimate was approximately $648 million. That put Poland in 14th place among the world’s top 25 countries in terms of losses incurred from software piracy.
Roots of the problem
The growing cost of software piracy stems from several causes, not least of which is the computer penetration rate.
“This is a result of the rising number of computers in Poland. The piracy rate is decreasing, but the value of illegal software is rising proportionally with the growth in number of computers,” Bart?omiej Witucki, a BSA spokesperson, told WBJ.
Software costs could be another factor, although experts held differing opinions here. “A person might say, ‘If I can get something for free, why should I pay for it?’,” InsERT’s Szawlis said.
But Microsoft Poland spokesperson Joanna Fr?ckowiak dismissed the high cost of commercial software as a myth. “Very often the total cost of ownership is lower de facto than for open source solutions,” she said. “Besides, everyone deserves fair remuneration for their work and nobody wants to be robbed.” Ms Fr?ckowiak also noted that software revenues go towards investments in R&D and to maintain tech support.
Other things affecting piracy rates include social approval of such behaviors, ineffective laws and a lack of large anti-piracy campaigns. “The high costs of implementing and maintaining security at a corporation is also a major factor,” added Dariusz Wójcik, a systems security specialist at IT firm Comarch.
Awareness and solutions
Although the pace at which Poland’s piracy rate is falling may seem unsatisfactory in comparison to countries like Russia or China, the BSA’s Witucki emphasized that the downward trend is stable. At the same time, he noted a number of initiatives which could contribute to an even steeper decline in the future.
“There is an ongoing educational campaign by the BSA, the Economy Ministry and the Polish Chamber of Commerce which encourages Polish firms and public administration offices to conduct software audits and implement software asset management [SAM] procedures. This leads to greater legal and IT security,” said Mr Witucki. He noted that SAM practices are becoming increasingly popular among Polish firms, and that several companies now specialize in this area.
For its part, Microsoft will soon launch an awareness campaign highlighting the risks of using pirated software, such as identity theft and viruses.
According to IDC data, the number of broadband users worldwide grew by 135 million last year, while a further 460 million are expected to appear over the next five years in emerging markets alone. This will undoubtedly contribute to global piracy, especially since the economic crisis has stalled some anti-piracy efforts.
till, IDC expects software piracy rates to continue to drop on a per country basis. Regarding the global outlook, the research firm believes that the market for legitimate software will begin to crowd out pirated software in a few years and the global rate will begin to fall.
However, hopes that EU legislation would soon add muscle to the fight against piracy were dashed last week. The European Parliament voted down a legislative package which would have imposed strict penalties on P2P service administrators and allowed ISPs to temporarily disconnect file-sharers from the internet.
Given the demise of the Stadion and its ilk in recent years, the internet seems to be the last bastion of Poland’s would-be pirates. Tighter controls and stricter penalties on everyday P2P users would go a long way towards putting an end to the problem.
Former "Big Brother" Charged With Sex Crimes
From: KAKE
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Konrad Szyc, 20, was taken into custody by Hutchinson Police. Prosecutors accuse him of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Investigators said Szyc, a native of Warsaw, Poland, met the alleged victim through the Big Brother Big Sister program.
Szyc remains in the Reno County jail on $25,000 bond.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas released the following statement;
"We are aware of the arrest and investigation involving a former volunteer with our organization and are alarmed and deeply saddened by reports of any child being harmed. Because the investigation is in progress, it would be inappropriate and irresponsible for us to discuss or speculate about any specifics.
However, please know that we make child safety our priority. We have zero tolerance for abuse. Our volunteers and staff undergo thorough screening and background checks and we provide ongoing professional support for our children and families. We remain committed to improving children's odds for succeeding in school and breaking negative cycles and believe that safety and security are the foundation of the service we provide.
The integrity of our program is extremely important and to achieve the highest quality standards possible, we work to constantly review and strengthen our screening and background check systems as new best practices in the industry emerge.
We are working with authorities in the investigation."
Polish police protest over benefit arrears
From: Foxyard
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Uniformed policemen and women waved trade union banners and blew whistles outside Prime Minister Donald Tusk's office in an elegant district of Warsaw as organisers addressed them from the top of a red double-decker bus.
"We are protesting against anarchy and against the government's failure to respect the law," organiser Roman Wierzbicki, 54, told Reuters.
"We are owed about 200 million zlotys ($73 million) by law. We have not been paid and we have come here because talks have reached an impasse. We expect this situation not to be repeated in 2010," said Wierzbicki, a 25-year veteran of the force.
The finance ministry has vowed to pay the arrears by the end of the year, the PAP state news agency reported.
However, the centre-right government also has to find savings as it struggles to balance its books amid the economic slowdown and falling tax receipts. Police fear their 2010 budget will be slashed.
Customs officials, firefighters and border guards joined the police in a display of solidarity.
The protesters handed a petition to the government demanding no job cuts, no salary freeze and no reductions in social benefits. Tusk himself did not meet police representatives.
"It was a huge disappointment for my colleagues (that Tusk stayed away). We hope a meeting with the prime minister can be arranged in the near future," said Jan Velleman, a spokesman for the Luxembourg-based European Confederation of Police.
Uniformed public sector workers in Poland enjoy a range of benefits, including the right to retire early. Police benefits also include money for transport, vacations and accommodation.
Central Warsaw is accustomed to worker demonstrations, though Poland remains the only member of the 27-nation European Union to have avoided recession in the global financial crisis.
KHL launches All-Star Game web site and opens fan voting
From:
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The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) today launched www.khlallstar.ru, the official Web site for the 2010 KHL All-Star Game. This new site, available in English by clicking on “English” above the main KHL All-Star Game logo on the front page, features all relevant news and information for the League’s second All-Star Game, scheduled for Saturday, January 30, 2010, in Minsk, Belarus.
Visitors to the site will find a wide variety of content, including news and ticket details, schedule information on the planned hockey festival that will be held in conjunction with the KHL All-Star Game, a countdown clock to face-off time and a photo gallery of last year’s game. More information will be added regularly in the coming weeks, as well.
Simultaneously with the launch of KHL All-Star Game Web site, the KHL kicked off fan voting to determine the starting lineups, including two goalkeepers, for each team that will participate in what is sure to be a thrilling confrontation on the ice of the new Minsk Arena.
BATE v Benfica
Midfielder Javi Garcia insists Benfica will go all out for victory against BATE Borisov despite already being almost certain of qualification from the group stages of the Europa League.
The Portuguese team travel to Belarus with a three-point lead at the top of Group I with just two points separating Everton, BATE and AEK Athens behind them.
A draw would guarantee Benfica a place in the last 32 but Garcia is adamant they will target all three points in the Haradzki Stadium.
Garcia told Benfica TV: "We always start with this idea, because we are Benfica and we have to show it on the field. We seek the three points, but the team has to be smart."
The Spaniard refused to contemplate anything other than qualification ahead of the final game against AEK Athens, saying: "There can be no defeat."
Garcia also insisted the team are prepared for the conditions in Belarus, adding: "We have done some travelling and it is indeed a step further and will be quite cold, but the team is ready to play."
The player had to have several stitches in his head after a collision in Saturday's derby against Sporting Lisbon, but has recovered and will play.
Manager Jorge Jesus echoed Garcia's sentiment in order to secure top place in the pool.
"Our idea is that we continue to produce performances in this game as we have been doing, especially at Everton (2-0 win on November 5).
"So the idea is to win and then we can reach the last 32."
Defender Roderick Miranda has been added to the squad after Brazilian Sydney sustained a thigh injury in the weekend derby.
With neither Sydney nor Luisao available, youngster Victor Miguel could partner David Luiz.
While Benfica are on the brink of progressing, BATE lie third, two points behind third-placed Everton and level with AEK Athens.
The Belarussians have taken four points from their last two Europa League games and will be confident and rested going into the game.
Belarus to step up support for people with disabilities
From: BelTA
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The head of state underlined that Belarus is almost the only country of the former USSR republics that has managed to retain enterprises and associations that support disabled people. It is important that the state could lend a shoulder to people with disabilities and help them integrate in the society.
The President praised the work of Svetopribor which products are competitive and sell well abroad. According to Alexander Lukashenko, the company‘s products should be more widely represented on the domestic market.
The Belarus President noted that the state will continue providing assistance to disabled people.
At present about ten national programs targeted at people with disabilities are being implemented in Belarus. All the handicapped people permanently living in Belarus are entitled to state pensions irrelevant of their citizenship.
One of the questions asked by reporters touched upon the establishment of the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan.
Alexander Lukashenko stressed that all the problem points Belarus had have been addressed during negotiations about the Customs Union. The Customs Union stands for mutual concessions, mutual support and the huge market. There is nothing to fear, said the head of state.
“The creation of the united customs territory should be complete as from 1 July 2010,” reminded the President. “After that the commission we are setting up will take control over imports”. “Import money is the money for the budget. This is why we took such a scrupulous attitude to it during the talks,” he said.
The President said that Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia have different economies. “We are not that much of competitors. Well, we have MAZ, Russia has KamAZ. It means that we should protect the domestic manufacturer with duties and so on. Kazakhstan doesn’t have such manufacturers but they joined us. We don’t produce cars but Russia does. Russia would like to protect these enterprises. If we do favors for Russians, then Russians will do favors for us in other areas and so on,” said the President.
Yet he said that car duties are a sensitive issue for the Belarusian economy, this is why no final decision has been made yet. “We put it aside as far as natural persons are concerned. We are talking about juridical persons. Cars are actually the only point that people are truly worried about,” said the head of state. He remarked: “If we import less second-hand garbage here, there is nothing to fear. We will win other points”.
The Customs Union is being created for the people “because it will be easier for MAZ, BelAZ and other companies to work without barriers on this huge market,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.
He said that the Customs Union topic was touched upon as he met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on 30 November. “As soon as we inked the Customs Union papers, Berlusconi saw not a 10 million strong Belarus, but the huge economic space that can be accessed via Belarus,” said the President. “Which way do they want to access this space? Belarus. Not Russia or Kazakhstan, but here, the center of Europe,” added the President.
“We agreed that they may start manufacturing here, the terms are better here than those in Italy. The workforce cost is different and so on. They may trade wherever they want: both in the European Union and our customs space. Belarus looks even more preferable in this regard than Russia and Kazakhstan,” remarked Alexander Lukashenko.
“Thus the Customs Union that we have created will slightly improve the situation in comparison with the present situation,” concluded the head of state. “It should be understood that without the Customs Union the united economic space will not exist. And it is the thing we are most interested in. In Astana, if we meet on 18 December, we will determine when we reach the united economic space”.
Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the united economic space will remove all economic barriers and thus will address all problems for Belarusian producers. Grounds for trade wars that happen in Belarus-Russia relations will be removed as well. “This way we will return to the huge USSR-scale market through the market economy,” said the Belarusian head of state.
The President also reminded that the three countries had agreed to enter to the WTO together. “We have weighed all pros and cons. Decisions on 600 sensitive issues will be made via consensus, we have arranged it,” he specified.
“We had a sincere talk regarding the creation of the united economic space. We don’t want it to take long. I think we can do it within a year and a half,” concluded Alexander Lukashenko.
The head of state underlined that if import duties are reduced, the prices for these products are supposed to eventually reduce or stay the same. “Certainly, the reduced duties will create competition for our similar goods, but we have protected our positions. In principle, the prices will remain the same for the majority of products,” said Alexander Lukashenko.
“If a duty is lowered, the price cannot rise. It will not affect the prices in any way. However if we increase duties on cars, the prices for them will certainly rise. We have not settled this issue, yet, it is very sensitive for us and we put it aside for now,” the Belarus President explained.
He added that experts had calculated that by 2020 the Customs Union will make it possible to achieve a 15% increase in the GDP. “It is a huge amount, billions of dollars,” the head of state said.
Alexander Lukashenko highly valued the support of Italy and the country’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in promoting the cooperation between Belarus and the European Union.
According to Alexander Lukashenko, Silvio Berlusconi has a high public support rating. “He is a strong politician,” the President believes. “To have the support of Italy and of such a politician means a lot. Italy is one of the world’s leading economies.
Italy is interested in cooperation with Belarus, the country where the situation is calm and people are tolerant. “They were the first to come here. Those who come first get the best terms. We discussed this and many other issues with Silvio Berlusconi during his visit to Belarus,” Alexander Lukashenko said. In his words, Italian business is very mobile. The country has an interesting experience in small and medium-sized business, the President said.
Cooperation with Italy has many advantages for Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko believes. The main thing today is to outline the joint projects to start with. “We have agreed there should be no red tape practices,” Alexander Lukashenko said. “I am very happy that we had this meeting. We have got more out of it than we expected,” the President concluded.
