President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko has requested the government to work out the issue of the alternatives of the oil supply through Baltic countries instead of Russia as BELTA reported.
It is planned to finish the upgrading of two Belarusian oil refineries in 2019, and it will become possible to purchase oil for further processing from other destinations, not only from the Russian Federation.
“I have requested this task to be completed for a long time ago and it is necessary to solve it: to open the alternative oil supply through Baltic ports. If Lithuanians do not agree, then we will agree with Latvians and purchase oil. We will process it at Novopolotsk refinery and provide the Baltic States with oil,” Lukashenko said.
According to him, it will be cheaper for the Baltic States than now, when they buy oil products at world prices.
“It is possible to agree that it will be our joint oil, which we process at upgraded Novopolotsk refinery. Moreover, we already have some possibilities for it,” Lukashenko noted.
Besides, the president urged not to exaggerate the issues connected with the losses of the Belarusian budget due to the tax maneuver of Russia and to search for other sources, which will compensate these negative aspects.
“But I want to warn: do not even think about such things as shifting of the problems on us, Belarusians. The population should not feel any additional burden. At least, this year there are no issues, even if we do not compensate anything,” Lukashenko claimed.
Earlier, Lukashenko stated that he would not call Russia a fraternal state anymore but only a partner. Besides, the Belarusian president expressed the opinion that Moscow wants to incorporate Belarus into the composition of Russia on the pretext of “deep integration”.
