Drop in exports: Russia has no intention to drag Belarus out of economic problems
Belarus’ exports to Russia may sharply decrease this year, Economy Minister Uladzimir Zinouski said on Friday, news agency BelaPAN reports.
The Russian economy ministry has notified the Belarusian government that Russia may reduce imports by some 30 percent in 2015, Mr Zinouski said. “This means that we cannot expect economic growth in 2015 unless we diversify our export markets,” he said. “It is necessary to apply all support schemes to new export markets.”
It is also necessary to fully use the advantages offered by Belarus’ involvement in regional and global integration to diversify exports, he added. According to the Economy Minister, a lot still has to be done to facilitate access to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union, other economic alliances and major importers for Belarusian goods and services.
Otherwise the Belarusian economy will never become less dependent on Russia, Uladzimir Zinouski stressed.
In 2014 the total Belarusian export to Russia amounted to $15.34 bn, which was $1.5 bn less than that of 2013. Russians’ purchases of trucks, tractors, tyres, dairy products are on the decrease.
“The Belarusian export has reduced due to Russian economy’s stagnation. Moreover, the Belarusian rubel’s strengthening to the Russian ruble, which had been the case until December, 2014, also affected the decrease in exports,” economic analyst Anton Baltochka said.
