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Integration with Russia to add over 2% per annum to Belarus’ GDP growth

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MINSK, 28 January (BelTA) – Integration with Russia will add over 2% per annum to Belarus’ GDP growth. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement in his address to the nation and the parliament on 28 January, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded that Belarus and Russia approved 28 Union State programs in late 2021. The main purpose of the programs is to create new manufacturing facilities and competences in key sectors. They will also take care of Belarus-Russia manufacturing cooperation and form a stable core of basic process flows.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted: “Microelectronics (we have it), space satellites (we help Russians make them, we have an advanced industry), biotechnologies, pharmaceutics represent only a small part of the hundreds of avenues of cooperation. According to the most modest estimates, the increase in Belarus’ GDP only thanks to integration with Russia will exceed 2%.”

According to the head of state, cooperation in the spheres of investments and entrepreneurship will advance to new heights. Ordinary citizens feel the effect in addition to enterprises and businesses. “I am talking primarily about harmonization of migration legislation, simplification of employment, education, tourist trips, mobile roaming, and so on. You see it in your life and you can say that not everything has been taken care of. We will do it in the next few years. We have a blessing in disguise. The collective West forces Belarus and Russia to tackle these problems faster. It will be possible to travel from Minsk to Moscow within 3-4 hours once we finish and launch a superfast railway line. We had plans for a line to connect Moscow, St Petersburg, Minsk, Kiev… What was wrong with that? As we form the common future, we will jointly utilize our capabilities and promote achievements,” the Belarusian leader stated.

The president added that relations with Russia shape standards for work with member states of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that Belarus is also intent on preserving and expanding the current tight trade, economic, and humanitarian ties with post-Soviet republics.

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