Minsk suggested European Union to close energetic circle :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus advises the European Commission to employ the ”Ross-Belastok” power supply line for setting up the electric power supply circle “European Union-Belarus- European Union”. ”The ”Ross-Belastok” power supply line still functions at 220 kilowatts and we are working on inserting the direct current part to it thus transferring the line to 400 kilowatts. That will enable creation of the “European Union-Belarus- European Union “electric power supply circle”, said head of the department of perspective development and investments of the power engineering ministry of Belarus Uladzimir Babrou.

He specified that presently the European Union is drafting a more sophisticated project of the direct current insertion between Elk Polish town and Alitus town in Lithuania, the “Izvestia” newspaper runs. ”But it is to go through new territories, through forest reservations .That needs special resolution to be made”, the power engineering ministry representative pointed out. According to him, in the framework of this project Belarus advises to work in the passage of the already provided land using the available electric power supply lines through changing their voltage and transmission capacity. Babrou stressed that the Belarusian suggestion has evoked the European Commission’s interest and is to be discussed.

Babrou stressed that this issue is of strategic importance to Minsk. To the best of his knowledge, the European Union has already sent the invitation to Ukraine and Moldova for joining the Central European electric power supply system. ” We and Ukraine have different frequencies of oscillation but we work in parallel with the “orange republic” and creation of the united electric power supply circle for supporting each other is vitally necessary”, the power engineering ministry representative considers.

And it is this week that deputy foreign minister of Belarus Valery Varanetsky when delivering his speech at the conference “Working together on facilitation of the European neighborhood policy” in Brussels 3 September declared that “Minsk is for the joint efforts of the European states in creation of the powerful and competitive Bigger Europe with participation of the closest non- European partners”.

Varanetsky stressed that the republic “makes its contribution to the diversification and is ready to increase it for providing power resources deliveries”.” It is necessary for Europe to find the mutually acceptable form of joining the interests of deliverers, transiters and consumers of power resources thus creating the stable system meeting the energy demands of the whole continent”, the Belarusian diplomat remarked. He also stressed that being among the transit countries Belarus suggest implementation of serious joint European projects for providing the safety transit.

Varanetsky also declared that Belarus is open to cooperation with the EU on power engineering, transport, transit, agriculture and environment protection and scientific research issues. ”In our relations with the European Union we should pass from simple trade to more sophisticated forms of economic relationship, the deputy minister said .We invite the European investors to strategic spheres of our economy: power engineering, machinery, chemical and petrochemical industries “.