New Russian military bases to open in Belarus?

The authorities will grant a concession on strategic military objects.

It can be concluded from Decree No. 372 of July 20, 2014, which was published on the National Legal Internet Portal.

Under the document, the Belarusian authorities plan to grant a concession (leasing/operating) the objects that have strategic importance for the country, in particular the objects securing military safety, protection and implementation of national interests in economic, scientific, technical, social, information and other sectors of national importance.

The decree sets the order of making lists of strategic objects for a concession agreement, the order of signing a concession agreement and the rules on setting the size of a one-time payment for objects of concession.

The document stresses it cannot be applied to subsoil plots, waters, forests (forest plots) and land plots (a special law was adopted for these purposes).

“For the purposes of this provision objects of strategic importance for the Republic of Belarus shall be understood to mean objects of concession securing military safety of the Republic of Belarus, protection and implementation of the national interests of the Republic of Belarus in economic, scientific, technical, social, information and other sectors of national importance,” the decree reads.

Taking into account close military cooperation between Minsk and Moscow and the fact that Lukashenka's only ally is Putin's Russia, it becomes clear that Russia is the only candidate for receiving a concession on military objects in Belarus.