Minsk, August 7. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
Minsk, August 7. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, during a working trip to the Vilensky district, explained the economic benefits of introducing a visa-free regime for citizens of neighboring EU countries.
Consensus
- President Alexander Lukashenko made remarks during a working trip in the Minsk Region about the economic benefits of the visa-free regime with neighboring EU countries.
- The visa-free regime allows citizens of neighboring EU countries to enter Belarus and purchase goods, which helps generate foreign currency.
- Belarus does not need to invest in export logistics because consumers from neighboring countries come to buy goods directly.
- Lukashenko described citizens of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia as 'neighbors from God' and not strangers.
- The visa-free regime was initially introduced in 2022 for Lithuania and Latvia, later extended to Poland, and expanded in 2024 to include 35 additional European countries.
- The regime was last extended in June to the end of the year.
Points of divergence
- Lukashenko stated that Belarus earned $10 billion from food products in the previous year, which is more than what is earned from oil, and that rising global temperatures have negatively affected European agriculture, increasing food prices. — kommersant
- Lukashenko claimed that Belarus can withstand sanctions because people will continue to come to buy goods, even if it becomes slightly more expensive for them. — kommersant
Coverage (2 sources)
- Lukashenko spoke about the benefits of visa-free regime with EU — Коммерсантъ
- Lukashenko explained the benefit of visa-free travel for citizens of neighboring EU countries — Вести