Russian ambassador: Loans only in exchange for enterprises

Russia is ready to give provide Lukashenka with loans only for joint projects.

Russia’s ambassador to Belarus Alexandr Surikov held a press-conference, during which he spoke in a number of important issues of the bilateral relations.

The Russian side is ready to support the modernization of Belarusian industrial enterprises financially, however only of those that will become the basis for the creation of joint business, Russia’s ambassador to Belarus claims.

“We believe that we should support the modernization of those projects, which will develop as mutual businesses, which will bring improvements for a Belarusian and a Russian alike. But simple ‘give us modernization for a Belarusian factory to be more competitive than a Russian’ – who ever gave money for producing competitors”, - Surikov claimed on Friday at a press-conference in Minsk.

At the same time he confirmed that the Belarusian party addressed the Russian Federation asking for financial support for the modernization of the industrial complex.

At the same time the diplomat noted Russia’s readiness to provide Belarus with financial should a crisis situation arise in the economy of the country. However, in this case, Surikov emphasized, it will be a matter of providing Belarus with a public loan.

“I think, if Belarus has a difficult economic situation, this will need to be considered separately. But Belarus’ economy does not look bad so far, there is currency reserve, there is no precritical situation so far”, - the ambassador noted.

Surikov reminded that Belarus as well as Russia are partners within the Customs Union and the Single European Space, and in the framework of these integration unions the countries should aim at enlarging similar business areas.

“Yes, we are in the Single Economic Space, and we should enlarge business and modernize, and we are ready for that. But we will not raise competitors to ourselves and then modernize. I think, our authorities will go this way in the end”, - Surikov said.

Russia’s ambassador in Minsk Alexandr Surikov claims that Russia is not alert of Belarus’ attempts to re-establish the dialogue with EU member-states.

“No, we are not alert of the situatio”, - Surikov claimed.

“Moreover, - he continued, - Russia understands this Belarus’ aspiration – it cannot live with neighboring states in the relations like there used to be”.

In the meanwhile Surikov called the EU’s requirements of Belarus “excessive”. “We cannot use same templates for cutting democracy in Belarus”, - the ambassador is convinced.

Neither does Russia support the EU’s demands to release political prisoners, he noted, saying that there is no such a term in the country – these “people have been convicted of crimes commited”.

“We do not have any jealousy”, - the ambassador once again emphasized. At the same time he noted that Russia may become alert, if the improvement of Belarusian-European relations “will be mounted on counterweight to Russia”.