Economy as priority? EU Commissioner, Prime Minister discuss Belarus-EaP relations

Johannes Hahn, an Austrian politician who has been serving as European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations since November 2014, has met with Prime Minister Syarhei Rumas and Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey in Minsk.

Talking to Mr Hahn, the head of the Belarusian government mentioned the fact of ‘the positive economic and trade cooperation with the EU, as well as our collaboration within the framework of the illegal migration regulation project. Rumas also made a point of Belarus’s participation in the Eastern Partnership:

“We believe that this program should work for the sustainable economic development of the region and contribute to ironing out parting lines that sometimesarise. Next year this initiative will mark its 10th anniversary. I think we should strengthen its ability to yield concrete economic results. Therefore, signing the agreement between Belarus and the EU is on the front burner for us,” he said.

During Mr Hahn’s meeting with the Foreign Minister, the top officials were discussing the issues of cooperation priorities in 2018-2020 years, Belarus’ accession to the WTO, visa regime relaxing, EaP and other European projects.

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative involving the EU, its Member States and six Eastern European Partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership aims at building a common area of shared democracy, prosperity, stability and increased cooperation.

In early October, Belarus’ Deputy Foreign Minister Aleh Krauchanka said that more active steps were needed to facilitate the access for the countries participating in the EaP initiative to the European Union market.

belsat.eu