Republic

Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin to meet in Minsk to discuss Union State draft constitutional act and budget bill

On December 13-14, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to Belarus. The Supreme State Council of the Belarus-Russia Union State is expected to approve the Union State draft budget for 2008 and to consider a draft Constitutional Act of the Union State. Details of the meeting were discussed on December 4 by Alexander Lukashenko, Chairman of the Supreme State Council of the Union State and President of the Republic of Belarus, and State Secretary of the Union State Pavel Borodin, BelTA learnt from the Belarusian leader’s press service. There are 13 issues on the agenda of the forthcoming session of the Supreme State Council including the one concerning the Union State budget, which will be increased by 10% as against 2007 and will exceed RUR 4 billion. Apart from the main financial document Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin will consider more than ten production and social programmes including programmes in the field of construction, high technologies, mechanical engineering and as well as documents on overcoming of consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. “We lay special emphasis on the production programmes, as we annually allocate up to 75%-80% of the budget for their implementation. Such programmes help create new jobs,” Pavel Borodin told reporters after the meeting with the Belarusian leader. According to him, the draft budget was supported virtually by all ministries and departments of the Union State as well as by the Union State Parliament. Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin will also discuss in detail a draft Constitutional Act of the Union State. According to Pavel Borodin, there are five variants of the document. The one drafted by the Permanent Committee of the Union State reflects real needs of the two nations. “The matter does not concern institution of a post of the Union State president or ministers. As executive power institutions can work collectively, like in Europe,” said the State Secretary. “The draft describes a confederation model of the Union State. It means the national emblems and anthems will not be changed. However, the Union State needs its parliament. It also needs to delegate certain state powers to the Union State level. In concerns border protection, customs procedures, defence, military-technical cooperation, financial-monetary policy, price policy,” Pavel Borodin noted. According to him, the Union State will have to pass through a 7-10-year transitional period and will need a temporary constitution, which will create new jobs, not posts. Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin will also consider cooperation in the fuel and energy sphere and urgent issues relating to mutual trade.