News – The Russian Government

Russian Prime Minister, Chair of the Union State Council of Ministers Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus held a meeting of the Union State Council of Ministers.

Excerpts from the transcript:

Roman Golovchenko: Mr Mishustin, Mr Mezentsev,
participants.

I am pleased to welcome you to Belarus and to greet the government
delegation from the Russian Federation, as well as representatives of the Standing Committee of the Union State.

Today, we are convening for the next meeting of the Council of Ministers
of the Union State in Minsk. We will review the outcomes of our joint efforts
in 2024 within the context of union integration and address several important
issues related to union construction, including preparations for the Supreme
State Council meeting of the Union State, which is scheduled for early
December.

I wish us all a productive meeting and now have the pleasure of handing
the floor over to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union State
and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Mishustin. Please go
ahead.

Mikhail Mushustin: Thank you. Mr Golovchenko, Mr Mezentsev, friends and colleagues.

I am pleased to welcome all the participants in the meeting
of the Union State Council of Ministers. On behalf of the Russian delegation, I want to thank our Belarusian colleagues and you, Mr Golovchenko, for your
traditional hospitality and excellent conditions created for our work.

Our meeting is being held in anticipation of the meeting
of the Supreme State Council to be led by Vladimir Putin and Alexander
Lukashenko. It is scheduled to take place also here in Minsk and will be timed
to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Treaty on the Creation
of a Union State of Russia and Belarus.

Russian and Belarusian governments are active in implementing
the union treaty. In January we completed the execution of the Main Guidelines
for the past three-year period, as well as 28 union programmes.

We have laid a reliable foundation for conducting a coordinated
microeconomic, industrial and agrarian policy and began to develop common rules
of competition and the transport market. All this is required for creating a common
economic space.

In winter, our presidents set new reference points at the Supreme State Council meeting in St Petersburg.

This and in the subsequent two years it is necessary to focus on deepening integration in industry and agriculture, as well as in the energy,
logistics, tax and customs spheres, science, education, culture and other areas.

We have approved 31 action plans for achieving common
objectives. They comprise over 300 tasks. Approximately a sixth part of them has
already been completed, as reported by our colleagues.

I think that we have gained a considerable momentum.
And we need to keep it up.

The integration benefits are tangible. It is
expressed, among other things, in the indicators of trade and economic
cooperation. Mutual trade for the first eight months of this year added six
percent, reaching almost three trillion Russian roubles, or over 100 billion
Belarusian roubles.

We are also enhancing the technological sovereignty of the Union State. Together, we are modernising and expanding our capabilities in mechanical engineering, machine tool manufacturing, and microelectronics. We are developing the production of equipment and components to replace imported supplies. I would like to extend my personal thanks to you, Mr Golovchenko, for your commitment to industrial cooperation, particularly within the Union State and across the EAEU platform. Your frequent visits to our enterprises and machine-building plants have made you well-known in Russia. 

Importantly, Belarusian companies are actively participating in large-scale Russian production projects in aircraft and shipbuilding. We are also increasing our collaboration in high-tech industries, including nuclear energy and space research.

The mutual recognition of components, parts, and finished products manufactured in Russia and Belarus provides a significant boost to our cooperation. Another crucial task in achieving independence from foreign solutions is the training of skilled personnel for our national economies. The establishment of the Union State Network University of High Technologies will enhance the training of highly sought-after specialists.

We should also focus more actively on creating a unified information space. By the decision of our presidents, we are establishing a Union State media holding that will consolidate the efforts of our media outlets. I am confident that it will offer engaging and valuable content for the citizens of both Russia and Belarus.

Colleagues,

The draft decisions we will discuss today are focused on advancing the integration between Russia and Belarus, particularly by enhancing the practical impact of our joint initiatives and programmes.

I want to emphasise a few key points. Next year, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a momentous occasion for the peoples of Russia and Belarus, as well as for all the nations that fought against Nazism. 

In honour of this significant anniversary, the Standing Committee of the Union State has developed a plan of events to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.

Today, we will approve this plan and present it to the Supreme State Council, led by our presidents, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko.

We will also discuss joint measures aimed at enhancing mobile communication services for the convenience of our citizens.

As a reminder, incoming roaming calls within the Union State have already been made free of charge. Now, we are taking further steps.

Starting 1 March 2025, subscribers of Russian and Belarusian operators will be offered favourable tariffs for telephone calls and internet data transmission that are comparable to those on their home networks. This will enable people to communicate more frequently and cost-effectively, ultimately reducing their expenses.

Colleagues,

We have a full agenda ahead of us. Most of the decisions we have to discuss today will be submitted for approval to Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko.

I hope that the outcome of our work today will serve as a solid foundation for the upcoming meeting of the Supreme State Council, led by our presidents.

Now, I’m pleased to hand the floor over to you, Mr Golovchenko.

Roman Golovchenko: Thank
you.

Mr Mishustin, Mr Mezentsev, guests and participants in the meeting.

This meeting is being held in the run-up to the landmark date – 25th anniversary of signing the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State of Russia and Belarus. Over the years of building the union, we have created, I believe, without exaggerating, an unparallelled
integration model whereby we have established the necessary conditions to ensure comfortable living and working environment for the citizens of the two
states and businesses, as well as further development of economic cooperation
while fully preserving the sovereignty of Belarus and Russia.

We can be stated for sure that 25 years ago the leaders of our countries made the right choice. Union construction now helps
Belarus and Russia to effectively confront modern challenges and threats,
creates the necessary conditions to further develop our countries and improve
the welfare and living standards of the peoples. And these are not empty,
ceremonial words.

We are approaching the anniversary with good economic
results. Let us look at 1999, which was a momentous year for the Union State. Compared
to that date, the gross domestic product of our countries has grown
significantly. In Belarus – more than six times, in Russia – 10 times. GDP per
capita in Belarus has increased by nearly
seven times, in Russia – by almost 11 times. And despite the current difficult
external conditions, close integration enables us to maintain this favorable
trend. In the first eight months of this year, the growth rate of the gross
domestic product in both countries exceeded four percent. The results of mutual
trade are improving every year. Mr Mishustin and I have been working hand in hand for several years now, and every time we have meetings with each
other – you are witnesses to that – we state positive results in our
trade and economic cooperation.

Thus, according to the latest nine-month results our
trade has considerably increased as Mr Mishustin has already mentioned.

What I want to emphasise is that over recent years the union building has become more practice-oriented. We have significantly
strengthened interdepartmental cooperation in accordance with the programme
documents adopted for three-year terms, which are the Guidelines for Implementing the Provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State.

Since the last meeting of the Union
State Council of Ministers in November 2023, a considerable number of meetings and negotiations have taken place at various levels. The frequency and productivity
of these interactions reflect our genuine mutual interest in enhancing
multifaceted cooperation.

As a result of our consistent collaborative
efforts, the ministries and departments led by you, esteemed colleagues, have
been diligently addressing a wide range of issues, with the primary focus on the Guidelines for Implementing the Provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State
for 2024–2026.

Today, we will specifically address
the creation of favourable tariffs for communication services and data
transmission within the Union State, as Mr Mishustin
mentioned. This initiative stems from a direct instruction from the presidents.
Additionally, we will discuss the status of goods within the Union State,
consumer protection measures, the development of suburban rail services between
our countries’ regions, the establishment of a common information space,
advancements in scientific and technological development, and the alignment of tariffs for rail transportation.

As you can see, the agenda is rather
extensive, ranging from major global concerns to matters that simplify everyday
life for our citizens and entrepreneurs, as I mentioned earlier.

Several issues continue to be a priority for us, with interdepartmental cooperation ongoing as we seek mutually
acceptable solutions. The process of building our union is consistently active
across various channels and at different ministries and departments. This is a dynamic work, with decisions being made regularly to respond to the ever-evolving
nature of our lives.

I will highlight a few areas that
will require continued focus after today’s meeting. We need to finalise the implementation of a critical Union State decree on a unified
industrial policy, along with the intergovernmental agreement on the recognition of technological operations, which establishes the legal foundation
for a cohesive industrial policy. This includes measures to ensure comprehensive
access for Belarusian and Russian finished products, and importantly, their
components, to government procurements and programmes in both countries.

In 2025, as we put these documents
into practice, we should work to expand the list of state-supported programmes
that allow access for industrial products.

Efforts to unify the industrial and technological capacities of our countries to bolster economic security, import
substitution and technological sovereignty remain a key priority. We are
already making strides with numerous integrated import substitution projects.
Now, we must expand these efforts to include additional sectors and continuously engage an increasing number of enterprises from both countries in collaborative production and scientific and technological initiatives.

To create optimal working
conditions for manufacturers, it is crucial to expedite the mutual recognition
of electronic digital signatures. The relevant intergovernmental agreement was
signed this year, and all domestic procedures must be completed promptly to bring it into effect.

An essential area of collaboration – one to which Mr Mishustin devotes significant attention – is the development
of domestic import-substituting software. We believe this requires a unified
approach to establish equal conditions for IT companies and eliminate any
remaining barriers that limit their ability to engage in digital projects
within the Union State market.

A critical issue, consistently
prioritised by the leaders of both countries, is not only the formation of a unified economic space but also ensuring equal rights for citizens of both
nations.

In recent years, we have made substantial
progress in this area. Issues concerning citizens’ rights in social and labour
relations, education, healthcare, and migration have largely been addressed.
This means that Belarusian citizens in Russia
and Russian citizens in Belarus
can feel almost as if they are at home, not only in an emotional sense but also
in terms of access to social standards and services offered in both countries.
Emergency medical care is available to all, movement across borders is
unrestricted, and equal labour rights are safeguarded. Work experience is
mutually recognised, and standards for labour protection are harmonised.
Pension and insurance matters are settled, and support is extended to families
with children and vulnerable groups.

There is still
much work ahead. Every citizen should fully experience the advantages of living, working, studying, and traveling within the Union State.
Additional support measures are being introduced at the national level, and these must be swiftly identified and integrated into our joint Union State
legislation. The interdepartmental working group established through the standing
committee plays a vital role here in addressing equal rights for citizens. In our view, it should operate with even greater consistency, dedication, and initiative. Each issue, whether related to child benefits or healthcare access,
affects real people who deserve to feel completely at home within the Union State,
down to the smallest details.

To address these
matters, we must undertake daily diligent efforts to pinpoint areas where
further decisions are needed.

Colleagues,

We have an extensive agenda for today’s meeting. The decisions we make will undoubtedly
contribute to the ongoing development of the Union State.

Once again, I wish everyone a productive session.