A.Kulichkov: “Our countries’ union is the most developed and effective integration formation on the post-soviet area”

12 years since signing first documents declaring the unity of Belarusian and Russian people is a considerable period to draw a conclusion about key trends of cooperation between the two countries. In the interview with the daily “Soyuz” Alexander Kulichkov, Head of Minsk office of the Union State Standing Committee, told about the outlook for further Belarusian-Russian union formation.

12 years since signing first documents declaring the unity of Belarusian and Russian people is a considerable period to draw a conclusion about key trends of cooperation between the two countries. In the interview with the daily “Soyuz” Alexander Kulichkov, Head of Minsk office of the Union State Standing Committee, told about the outlook for further Belarusian-Russian union formation.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that our countries’ union is the most developed and effective integration formation on the post-soviet area,” he stated. “Union State governing bodies have been formed and now work effectively; social setting and national measures of development are drawing closer together and are monitored with the help of the appropriate statistics,” explained the Head of Minsk office of the Union State Standing Committee.

He noted that in comparison with 1998 union budget has multiplied 7 times and became an efficient instrument for solving joint problems. More than 90% of budgetary funds are directed at financing joint programmes and events involving social sphere and productive industry.

“An important result of this integration is free and practically unimpeded mutual trade in domestic commodities. It ensures dynamic increase in turnover. In 2007 it increased, as compared with the previous year, by 30.7% and exceeded $24 billion. Since the Union State establishment, it has quintupled,” added A.Kulichkov.

At the same time he stressed that quite a number of problems do remain. “In my opinion, in the near future it is necessary to ensure the adoption of the Union State Constitutional Act as well as the formation of a full-fledged customs alliance between Belarus and Russia. I consider that we have both legal and practical basis to implement it,” stated A.Kulichkov.

Besides that, in his opinion, there doesn’t exist any “breakthrough idea”, which would immediately rotate the flywheel of integration. To be more precise, there is the idea and it has been practically implemented in the Treaty Establishing the Union State. All of us should pitch in to solve these problems and use the prospects opened up by this document in full,” considers the Head of the office.

A.Kulichkov invited all those who wishes to take part in festive events dedicated to the Unity Day of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia and scheduled for April 2^nd 2008.