Lukashenka, His Minister Lying About Single Currency With Russia

Exposing another fake.

In the dispute over the supply of hydrocarbons to Belarus, Russia, as you know, insists that Minsk, in exchange for cheap oil and gas, should sign a series of agreements on the deeper integration of the two countries, Belsat reports.

These negotiations are extremely non-public, and many are wondering how far the Kremlin’s demands in this matter extend, and which of them Minsk is ready to follow. In one of the rare explanations on this subject, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Dzmitry Kruty outlined one of the lines beyond which the talks supposedly do not go:

“It is an absolutely empty fabrication within the framework of integration that we will abandon the Belarusian ruble and switch to some other currency. This is absolute stupidity. There are no such negotiations.”

The statement was made on the eve of the New Year. At the same time, however, the official apparently forgot who the information came from, which he called fabrications and absolute stupidity. Here is what Lukashenka said in this regard in March 2019:

“And so, we discussed some issues with Vladimir Vladimirovich. He told me rhetorically that of course it would be the ruble. Of course the ruble. It’s not a thaler. It will not be Russian or Belarusian ruble, but our common ruble.”

Thus, it turns out that the government of Belarus covers its negotiations with Moscow over integration, non-transparently and dissonantly.