Lukashenko optimistic about major Belarusian-Russian projects

This year we can say a lot regarding the implementation of major Belarusian-Russian projects. The statement was made by Chairman of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko after the session of the Council in Saint Petersburg on 15 March, BelTA has learned.

“Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] mentioned the ongoing negotiations regarding our joint efforts to build up the already existing huge manufacturing companies. I think we can say a lot this year about all these directions,” said the Belarusian head of state.

In his statement for the press President of Russia Vladimir Putin remarked that the establishment of technological alliances between Belarusian and Russian enterprise was gaining pace. “It looks particularly important to me. The formation of the holding company Rosbelavto has begun. It will comprise the leaders of the Russian and Belarusian automobile industries – KamAZ and MAZ,” said the President of Russia.

In his words, the creation of a joint system for the remote sensing of the Earth on the basis of the Russian GLONASS system and the ground-based control center in Minsk is in full swing.

Vladimir Putin named the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant a most important investment project. “The work at the construction site is ahead of the schedule. The first power-generating unit is supposed to go online in 2018, the second one in 2020,” said the President of Russia. “It is a massive Russian investment. It will be up to $10 billion”.

The President of Belarus added that the construction of the Belarusian and Kaliningrad power plants was ahead of the schedule. “We are conquering the electricity market. Together with the Russians we will be the first ones here. It will give us an edge for dealing with the shortage of the product in this region. It is a great school for our construction workers and we will ask you to employ Belarusians in the construction of such facilities in other markets afterwards,” said Alexander Lukashenko.