Belarus has prepared a package of measures in response to EU sanctions and may soon make it public.
This was announced by the Prime Minister of the country Roman Golovchenko.
“I want to emphasize that a set of measures in response to Western sanctions is ready.
We choose the most appropriate response measures from the set that we have developed and about which we communicated the signal to our partners.
I think the time is not far off when we will take these decisions and announce them, ”the head of the Cabinet of Ministers said on the air of the Belarus 1 TV channel.
At the same time, he called the restrictions on the part of the EU an attempt to blackmail and pressure the country, and their goal is to change the power in Belarus.
“This is banal blackmail and political pressure on the country.
And as a matter of fact, our partners did not hide this.
Because information about the preparatory steps for the sanctions surfaced in the media.
Sectors and industries were selected that provide the republic with an inflow of funds, revenue and foreign exchange.
The goal is not hidden - to worsen the standard of living of the population, generate social discontent and through these processes move to a change of power, "Golovchenko said.
The head of the Belarusian government also noted that at the moment Minsk is looking for ways to compensate for the economic losses from Western restrictions.
He stressed that plans to develop trade and economic relations with the EU will be reviewed.
Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko
RIA News
© Dmitry Astakhov
“When we did not witness such aggressive behavior towards us on the part of the European Union, we had a task to keep their share of about 30 percent (of Belarusian exports. -
RT
), and we successfully approached it.
But now the conditions have changed, and the strategy has changed accordingly.
It is already changing, and a turn to Asia, as we call it, is inevitable for us, ”the Prime Minister said.
According to him, the Belarusian government is ready to replace European resources in the financial sector if the EU decides to annul the previously concluded investment agreements.
“As far as I am informed, these sanctions do not apply to previously concluded agreements.
But even if for some reason they pause them or refuse to implement them, we know how to replace these resources.
All the money is not in Europe.
Therefore, we work with Asian investors and funds from other countries.
It may take some time, but we are determined and intend to replace these resources in the event of the worst development of the situation, ”Golovchenko said.
Four packages of sanctions
It is worth noting that at the moment Brussels has already introduced four packages of sanctions against Minsk.
The reason for this was the presidential elections in Belarus in 2020 and the opposition protests that followed.
Let us remind you that Alyaksandr Lukashenka won the elections then.
His opponents did not recognize the results of the vote and took their supporters to the streets.
The actions of the Belarusian opposition were supported by the European Union, which refused to recognize the legitimacy of Lukashenka's victory.
The first package of sanctions came into force on October 1, 2020, affecting more than 40 Belarusian officials.
A month later, the second package was accepted.
He subjected Lukashenka himself and his son Viktor, who at that time worked as the President's Assistant for National Security, to restrictions.
In December 2020, the EU adopted a third package of sanctions, which contained economic measures.
The restrictions included 29 people, as well as seven legal entities.
Among the affected companies were such large enterprises as Beltechexport CJSC, Agat Electromechanical Plant OJSC, 140th Repair Plant AO and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.
European Council building
AFP
© FREDERICK FLORIN
On June 21, 2021, the EU introduced the fourth package of restrictions.
Sanctions were imposed against 78 Belarusian citizens and eight organizations.
Three days later, the European Union announced the introduction of sectoral economic sanctions against Belarus.
These include prohibiting the supply or transfer to anyone in Belarus of technology or software designed to monitor or intercept telephone or Internet calls, as well as dual-use products for military use.
In addition, the trade in petroleum products, potassium chloride, and products used for the production of tobacco products was limited.
In the field of finance, Brussels limited Minsk access to capital markets in the EU, and also banned the provision of insurance services for government agencies and agencies in Belarus.
In addition, in accordance with the sanctions, the European Investment Bank stops any payments to Belarus under existing agreements and projects in the public sector.
In addition, sanctions were imposed against Belarus for the incident with the Ryanair aircraft, which on May 23 made an emergency landing at the Minsk national airport due to a message about mining.
Among the passengers of the plane was one of the creators of the NEXTA Telegram channel recognized in Belarus as extremist, Roman Protasevich.
After the landing of the liner, Protasevich, against whom a criminal case was opened in Belarus for organizing mass riots, was detained and later pleaded guilty.
The European Union condemned the actions of Minsk and banned all Belarusian air carriers from using their airspace.
According to analysts, the EU sanctions policy is aimed at regime change in Belarus.
“Economic sanctions are needed to put pressure on the Belarusian authorities so that the welfare of Belarusians would fall and on this wave the Belarusians would rise with new protests against the government.
That is, this is practically compulsion to change the state system, ”Belarusian political scientist Aleksey Dzermant explained in an interview with RT.
Allied integration
Against the background of the introduction of more and more sanctions against Belarus, Minsk continues to actively develop cooperation with Moscow.
Thus, in the same interview, Roman Golovchenko said that Russia and Belarus have made "substantial" progress in preparing a package of measures to deepen integration within the Union State.
“Significant progress has been achieved on this issue.
In fact, we are already talking about the coordination of technical issues.
I am constantly in close contact with my colleague, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin.
In addition, deputy prime ministers are actively working.
Meetings are held almost weekly.
And there is confidence that the entire package of union programs will be formed in the remaining months, ”the prime minister said.
According to Golovchenko, the parties agreed on how to harmonize legislation and how to "build equal conditions for business entities through the creation of a single regulation based on common principles of tax administration."
“We will understand how we will jointly develop industry and agriculture.
In fact, it will be the headquarters in order to get away from all the problems when we spent money on the creation of the same competencies.
Having an agreed action plan, we will have a clearer and better understanding of how to develop our sectors of the economy, ”Golovchenko said.
Natalya Kochanova, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus
RIA News
© Victor Tolochko
On the same day, the topic of relations with the Russian Federation was raised by the chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, Natalya Kochanova.
In an interview with ONT TV channel, she highly praised Russian aid to Minsk in the face of Western sanctions pressure.
“We are really grateful to the Russians for their support in this difficult situation in which we found ourselves last year, and even now they support us in international organizations, advocating the sovereignty and independence of our country,” she said.
Natalya Kochanova also noted that Moscow and Minsk must together withstand the sanctions pressure of the West, since it affects both countries.
"Compensate for losses"
According to experts, Minsk can react to Western sanctions mainly on the political plane.
“In this area, Belarus is already making certain steps.
It withdrew from the format of the Eastern Partnership with the European Union, deprived the accreditation of media funded by the West, and also terminated the activities of a number of Western funds, "said Alexey Dzermant.
At the same time, in the field of economics, Minsk does not have a large set of funds to respond to European restrictions, analysts say.
They emphasize that possible retaliatory steps in this direction could damage Belarus itself, so the Belarusian leadership is in no hurry to take countermeasures.
Alexander Lukashenko
Reuters
© Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus
“Among the possible economic measures that Minsk may resort to, I would single out a complete rejection of the transit of goods through its territory, the termination of the use of the Baltic ports and, possibly, a partial restriction on the supply of any products from the EU.
However, we must understand that this can hit Belarus itself hard, ”Sergei Margulis, a senior lecturer at the Department of International Politics and Foreign Regional Studies at the Institute of Social Sciences of the RANEPA, said in an interview with RT.
In these conditions, the preservation and deepening of allied relations with the Russian Federation becomes especially important for Belarus, analysts say.
According to them, Moscow is doing a lot to help Minsk withstand the onslaught of Western sanctions.
“Russia, in fact, from the very beginning of the protests took a rather clear-cut and clear position - it declared the unacceptability of Western interference in the affairs of Belarus and supported Lukashenka.
This means that Russia will continue to provide comprehensive support to Belarus.
This includes the provision of various benefits, the issuance of loans, the supply of fuel to Belarusian plants, and the openness of the Russian market for Belarusian producers, ”said Sergei Margulis.
Alexey Dzermant adheres to a similar point of view.
“The Russian Federation is helping Belarus very seriously, providing political support, as well as military and financial support.
In addition, economic cooperation between Russian and Belarusian enterprises is also, in fact, a form of support.
Doors are open for Belarusian companies in Russian regions.
All this helps Belarus to contain the pressure and stay afloat, despite extremely sensitive sanctions, ”the expert said.
In the context of the sanctions war of the West against Belarus, the integration of the two countries within the framework of the Union State becomes even more urgent, political analysts say.
“Further deepening of integration both within the framework of the Union State and within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, in my opinion, fully meets the interests of Minsk, since it can help to partially compensate for the losses from Western sanctions.
Deepening of integration is to be expected in economic matters, ”Sergei Margulis said.
According to the political scientist, in recent years the integration processes have stalled, including through the fault of Minsk, which tried to follow the course of "multi-vector" in foreign policy.
However, integration can now accelerate "thanks to" the attacks of the EU and the US on Belarus.
“The current wave of Western sanctions, as some European politicians are talking about, may just induce Minsk to further deepen its integration with Russia,” concluded Margulis.