Draft Program of Integration with Russia to be Submitted on August 27

Belarus’ government plans to submit its draft program of integration with Russia to President Alexander Lukashenko on August 27, Prime Minister Sergei Rumas said on Friday, TASS reports. “On Tuesday (August 27), we will refer this draft program to the head of state for approval so that the prime ministers [of Belarus and Russia] could initial this program of actions,” said Mr. Rumas. According to the Belarusian prime minister, after the program is initialed it will be made public to “remove people’s worries about sovereignty and other issues.” “The program is geared towards implementation of purely economic provisions and envisages mechanisms to ensure the operation of a common market in the two countries,” he said. “Companies should enjoy equal conditions on the common market. Saying equal conditions, we mean equal energy prices, equal tax burden, equal regulatory requirements.” Kommersant