31 December 2007
Belarus did not fall on its knees and beg Russia for $1.5-billion loan, says Lukashenka
Belarus did not fall on its knees and beg Russia for this loan, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said while visiting the SOS Children's Village in Barawlyany near Minsk on December 30.
The Belarusian leader was commenting on a $1.5-billion loan recently given by the Russian government for 15 years at an interest rate of libor plus 0.75 percent and with five years’ deferment of repayment.
“This 1.5 billion, even two billion, was promised to us at the end of last year in connection with an increase in the price of hydrocarbon resources this year,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “We thank them for their help and we won’t be in debt to them.”
According to Mr. Lukashenka, some allege that he will repay this money with Belarus’ sovereignty. “Listen attentively my New Year’s address and you’ll understand what all is about,” he said. “Any surrender of sovereignty and any incorporation of our state into another state is out of the question. This did not happen and cannot happen at least while Lukashenka is president. I’ve been saying this every year for 12 years now. I’m the most interested man in our state being sovereign and independent.”
Mr. Lukashenka also denied that Belarus would have to repay the loan with its most liquid assets. “This is a very beneficial loan to us and we’ll repay it,” he said. “One million and a half dollars is not much for our state. And the Russian side, even at the level of experts, never suggested that we should pay with some property, plants, factories, and so on. This will never happen. We’ll honestly, openly and transparently move to sell and privatize our enterprises as was the case before.”
Established in 1995, the SOS Children's Village in Barawlyany was the first to appear in Belarus. It currently accommodates 72 parentless children (35 boys and 37 girls) living in 13 SOS families.
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