Unified management bodies for SES power grids

It is appropriate to develop the unified management bodies for the energy systems of the Single Economic Space, Belarus Premier Mikhail Myasnikovich said at a roundtable “Eurasian Economic Prospects” in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 12 June.

“It is worth creating the unified management bodies to monitor the operation and development of our power grids as well as to develop a strategy and mechanisms for energy cooperation,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said. The system will promote further sectoral integration of the three countries. For creating an equal economic climate on the common wholesale market we need to set unified prices for hydrocarbons and other components including into the prime cost of these services, he stressed.

We still have a lot of issues to address for the creation of the common agrarian market, although there has been done a lot already and we have made great headway in this area, the Prime Minister of Belarus said. According to the Premier, it is first of all pertains to the Russian-Belarusian relations. The WTO membership of Belarus’ Customs Union partner-countries creates certain problems and negative consequences for the Belarusian agricultural industry. Measures taken in view of the weakening protection of the common market also have their impact. In this situation the food market becomes almost open and comes under the conditions of the EU food market. “We should be ready for it. We have considered these issues many times. I think that the supranational bodies of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space will provide all possible assistance in the development of further steps for the common agrarian market, pipeline services,” the Prime Minister said.

Mikhail Myasnikovich also took note of the importance of the sci-tech and innovation cooperation in the Single Economic Space. The Troika member states are able to reach global competitive ability by using the national innovation potential and focusing on their powerful systems of research and developments. Special attention should be attached to a small number of breakthrough areas. “I believe it is possible to use this basis for developing a model law on the sci-tech and innovation cooperation in the Union State at first and then in the Customs Union,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said addressing the parliamentarians.

According to the PM, the Customs Union lacks regulatory acts in the area today. It would be the right step to do if the parliamentarians would act as pioneers here, Mikhail Myasnikovich believes. It is a good idea for the scientists of the three countries to partake in the contests in the implementation of national programs and projects, including the projects of the defense and industrial complex, the Prime Minister underlined.