CURRENCY UNION WITH RUSSIA HINGES ON POLITICAL BARGAIN
Published:
14 August 2003 y., Thursday
Economist Valery Dashkevich, an independent consultant for the Belarusian National Bank, told RFE/RL's Belarusian Service on 12 August that Russian President Vladimir Putin's call on 11 August for a final decision on a common currency stems from pressure exerted on the Kremlin by Russian oligarchs and businessmen.
According to Dashkevich, Russian businessmen are dissatisfied with the lack of progress in Russian-Belarusian integration, and primarily with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's reluctance to sell major Belarusian state-run enterprises to Russians. Dashkevich believes that Lukashenka will bend to Putin's model of the single currency only after Putin guarantees his support for Lukashenka remaining in power for a third term and makes concessions regarding the future constitution of the Russia-Belarus Union. Dashkevich said Lukashenka might delay his decision on the introduction of the Russian ruble in Belarus until after Russian parliamentary and presidential elections slated for December 2003 and March 2004, respectively.
Šaltinis:
RFE/RL
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
At the European Union‘s General Affairs Council meeting on 7 December in Brussels, Lithuania‘s Minister of Foreign Affairs and his counterparts discussed preparation of the European Council scheduled for 10–11 December, as well as a work programme prepared by the trio of future EU presidencies: Spain, Belgium and Hungary.
more »
On December 9, Wednesday, President Dalia Grybauskaitė will receive Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council.
more »
In the meeting with leaders of parliamentary groups of the Seimas, President of the Republic of Lithuania D. Grybauskaitė underlined that the state budget for 2010 would decide whether Lithuania would manage to overcome the economic downturn or, on the contrary, fall deeper into it, and urged all political forces to assume political responsibility.
more »
On 8–9 December, Vilnius will host consultations among the U.S.A., Italy, Spain, and Lithuania - the four countries which lead Provincial Reconstruction Teams under the Regional Command West of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė extended congratulations to President Tarja Kaarina Halonen of Finland on the occasion of Independence Day.
more »
Continuing his official visit to India, today Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas together with Economy Minister Dainius Kreivys and a business delegation of 28 members arrived in Mumbai, India’s financial centre.
more »
On 2-5 December, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas is paying an official visit to India.
more »
During the plenary session of the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 1 December in Athens, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs V. Ušackas stressed the importance of the dialogue on European security for strengthening the mutual confidence of the participating States.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė received Ambassador of the United States of America to Lithuania, Anne Elizabeth Derse.
more »
On 26 November in Vilnius, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas met with Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia David Bakradze, who is on a visit to Lithuania.
more »