Mikhail Chigir «Minsk is not likely to rely on the debt writing-off» :: Charter'97 :: News

Yesterday the representatives of Russia and Belarus held another round of talks on the prospects of cooperation in the sphere of power-engineering. This time the accumulated since the beginning of the year Belarusian debt for Russian gas appeared in the center of attention. The topic of energy resources delivery to Belarus was indivisible from the union relationship of both countries. In the mid nineties Minsk managed to make Moscow write off its debts for the amount exceeding USD 1 billion. How it was going on and if that scenario is likely to be repeated was dwelt upon by Mikhail Chigir in his interview to the Vremya Novostey.

-In the nineties our debt to Russia amounted to USD 1.2billion. In 1995 the lengthy and complicated negotiations resulted in its writing off. There were disagreements between us and sometimes the arguments went on until three at night. I think that Minsk succeeded in the talks due to our well-determined standpoint.

-Is Belarus capable today of finding the arguments allowing her to cause full or partial debt writing off?

-Today Minsk can hardly rely on the debt writing off. At least I can hardly imagine how this request can be grounded as the situation has changed considerably. Russia pays for its goods traffic through Belarus and for air traffic. I do not exclude that certain services provided by Belarus to Russia in the border- guarding and custom’s spheres may be counted toward the Belarusian debt. The Belarusian party is unlikely to provide the budget for covering the greater part of the debt.

-Is Minsk capable of making Russia soften its attitude by means of political rhetoric?

-This scheme had been applied for many years .Belarus used to pay less for gas than other customers due to the political aspect in its economic relationship with Russia. Minsk used to speak on a forthcoming creation of the union state, to manifest his eagerness to become the Moscow’s most reliable partner in the international arena and for that it was provided with cheap resources.

-Do you consider the deterioration of the economic situation in Belarus probable? The Belarusian government declares that it has settled the problem with the energy resources price-hike, doesn’t it?

I believe that in the coming months the economic situation deterioration is going to become obvious. Even today we are facing a doubtless problem- a considerable growth of the international trade negative balance. The government looks like venturing the exterior debt increase to cover the negative trade balance though the authorities realize that the attracted borrowings won’t save the necessity of decreasing the expenses.