Mechyslau Hryb: Common currency of Eurasian Economic Union is loss of Belarus's sovereignty

Putin might have told Lukashenka and Nazarbayev point blank at the meeting in Astana: either you obey or we don't play.

Mechyslau Hryb, a former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus, said it in an interview with Belorusskaya Pravda.

– Putin put the question before Belarus and Kazakhstan on the introduction of a common currency in the Eurasian Economic Space. What does it mean?

– It means the introduction of the common currency in the Eurasian Economic Union. It means that finances will be controlled from one centre. It means that the common currency will be emitted by one country and the rest won't emit it.

– Will it be a small Soviet Union?

– Under the Constitution, the Republic of Belarus loses its sovereignty – its financial and economic sovereignty.

– Can we say that Putin shifts responsibility or partial responsibility for his imperial undertakings on Belarus and Kazakhstan?

– The situation is interesting: Putin is not going to agree his actions in the international arena with Belarus and Kazakhstan, but all three counties will have to answer for them.

– How will Minsk and Astana react to the Kremlin's “initiative”?

– Both Lukashenka and Nazarbayev understand they are losing their sovereignty. You may remember the situation when the introduction of the common currency of the “union state”, the Russian ruble, was discussed. The Belarusian leadership wanted the Ministry of Finance and the National Bank to remain in the country so that both Russia and Belarus could emit Russian rubles. Moscow didn't agree, and Minsk refused to waive its right to print money. The parties were arguing, but no agreement was reached.

Perhaps, this time we are speaking about a new currency rather than the Russian ruble, or the Belarusian ruble, or the tenge. But it is Russia that will be the financial centre. Belarus's economy is only 3% and Kazakhstan's one is 10-15% of Russia's economy, so Russia will never give up this right.

– Does Minsk still have a room for manoeuvre as it was 10 years ago?

– There's always a room for manoeuvre. Russia is in a very difficult state now. Belarus has begun to flirt with the West. Moscow does not want Belarus to leave the Eurasian space.

Perhaps, it was a point-blank question: either you obey, or we don't play with you. Unfortunately, we don't know details of the talks.

– Is it a warning that Belarus and Kazakhstan can share the fate of Ukraine?

– Maybe they will share it. But Russia won't be able to fight on two fronts, even with such small countries as Belarus. It cannot simultaneously fight with Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the EU and the US. It means a defeat.