According to Paata Sheshelidze, the non-recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Minsk is “not free”.
“Despite the fact that Russia greatly influences this country, there are big financial interests of clans or politicians. Belarus was able to play a fairly independent policy towards Georgia. For example, it did not participate in the embargo policy that was declared by Russia in 2006, ” said the president of the New Economic School of Georgia Paata Sheshelidze in the program of Yevgeny Kiselyov and Svyatlana Kalinkina called “Territory of Truth”.
“It does not now recognize the occupied territories of Georgia as independent countries (Abkhazia and South Ossetia), tries to be open for investment, for trade,” the Georgian economist added on the air of Belsat. “Of course, this is not free: Georgia has to buy tractors and other equipment that we would not otherwise buy.”
See more about how Belarus tries to maneuver, despite its economic dependence on Russia, and how Putin tries to buy the loyalty of Russia’s neighbors in the full issue of the first part of the “Territory of Truth”.
