|
The relations between Belarus and Russia will be poisoned by gas for a long time to come, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Wednesday. He was speaking after a cabinet meeting where the cessation of natural gas supplies to Belarus by Russia’s Gazprom was discussed. In this situation, the Belarusian government has to introduce electricity saving measures.
Mr. Lukashenko recalled Vladimir Grigoryev, the Belarusian Ambassador to Russia, for consultations.
Gazprom stopped its natural gas supplies to Belarus at 18:00 on Wednesday. According to Gazprom officials, Belarus’ Beltransgaz does not ensure the transit of Russian gas across the republic to Poland and Lithuania. Gazprom puts the entire responsibility on Belarus. For its part, the Belarusian Cabinet of Ministers sees Gazprom’s steps as blackmail and unprecedented pressure on the Belarusian people.
According to the Kommersant newspaper, the gas blockade of Belarus will cost Gazprom at least $10m a day. But the Russian gas giant is ready to pay this high price to achieve its global goal – the political and economic capitulation of Belarus. Half measures did not help. Gazprom’s restricted gas supplies to the republic, but Belarusians began stealing gas from a pipeline from Russia to Europe.
|
RUSSIA IN FACTS
