Business news

MINSK, 22 September (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia have agreed to work out a plan of mutual supplies of agricultural products within a week, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at a session in Minsk on 22 September, BelTA has learned.

“Top on the agenda [of the Sochi talks on 21 September] was agriculture, as well as well-known mutual grievances regarding supplies of Belarusian agricultural products to Russia. Full understanding was reached in this regard. We agreed that an indicative balance, i.e. a plan of mutual supplies of agricultural products, will be developed literarily within a week. This is what matters most,” the president noted.

Respective balances will be signed either at the level of ministers or vice-premiers responsible for this economic sector. “I should say that our vice-premiers have developed two roadmaps to resolve these issues. However, up till yesterday and even today, these problems were not settled fully,” the Belarusian leader said.

“I made it clear and put it quite tough at the second, extended, meeting that we should not act like this. In particular, this concerns Russia. If they are displeased with something, they pull the plug on an enterprise. Today some 45 milk processing companies and maybe some 25 meat packaging enterprises do not have an opportunity to supply their products to Russia on a full scale,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

“The Russian president had told me earlier that this situation is wrong and unacceptable. It should be rectified. I think this situation will dramatically change by the yearend,” the head of state concluded.