Opinions & Interviews

MOSCOW, 22 November (BelTA) – The 2018 budget of the Belarus-Russia Union State should not be smaller than the current one, State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota told the media on the sidelines of the expert and media forum to discuss the new vectors of humanitarian cooperation in the Union State in Moscow on 22 November, BelTA has learned.

Grigory Rapota remarked that the 2018 Union State budget has not yet been signed as it should be approved by the Union State Council of Ministers and then passed by the Union State Parliamentary Assembly and the Supreme State Council. “I am sure that it will not be smaller than the 2017 budget,” the state secretary said.

In his words, the budget will envisage financing for Union State programs which have been growing in number. In particular, another four programs will be adopted soon.

“Much effort will be put into enabling equal competitive conditions for companies across the Union State, removing barriers and restrictions. This effort does not require heavy expenditure. Instead, it requires plenty of intellectual work,” Grigory Rapota underlined.

He also added that the 2018 budget will not leave out any cultural events traditionally held in the Union State.