Belarus eager to sign Union State fuel, energy balance for 2014 in September

Belarus intends to sign the fuel and energy balance of the Union State of Belarus and Russia for 2014 in September, First Vice Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko told media in Gomel on 7 August where the official took part in a meeting with a Ukrainian delegation. The meeting tabled the development of economic cooperation, BelTA has learned.

According to the First Vice Premier, the Belarusian side has done all it had to do regarding the fuel and energy balance. “I have signed a letter addressed to our Russian colleague Arkady Dvorkovich asking not to delay these matters in order to sign all the necessary documents in early September,” said Vladimir Semashko.

The fuel and energy balance of the Union State specifies the volume of mutual deliveries of raw materials and ready-made products, including petroleum products, for a year. Vladimir Semashko believes the figures these documents specify are not binding. Instead they are indicators that characterize economic processes. “Yet I would like to thank my colleagues. We can argue long and hard because everyone protects his or her own interests. But once the balance is passed, it will be surely fulfilled,” said the First Vice Premier of Belarus.

This year energy resources have been delivered on the basis of quarterly balances. For instance, every quarter Belarus receives 5.75 million tonnes of Russian oil. “The letter addressed to Dvorkovich requests the delivery of the same amount of oil in Q4 2013. As a result, we will reach this year’s planned figure of 23 million tonnes,” stated Vladimir Semashko.