No need to scream and crawl on your knees - Lukashenko explained how to talk to Russia
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko today instructed the management of the Naftan oil refinery on how to negotiate with Russia on compensation for the supplies of low-quality oil by Russians at the end of April, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“You are a businessman, the head of an enterprise. There should be a maximum effect for you both through production and through compensation for the damage you have suffered. There is no need to yell or attack, but you need to look after your interests. There is no need to crawl on your knees - you need to sit down and make business decisions,” Lukashenko said.
According to Lukashenko, Russia wants to underestimate the amount of damage to Belarus, while Western consumers are ready to pay significant amounts.
“Some companies are claiming damages of up to $800 million to Russia. But we suffered the most. And they tell us: Belarusians have lost nothing. How so. Why do they pay them 800 million, and us 20,” Lukashenko said.
In the Belarusian media, the amount of damage that Russia must compensate was estimated at $450 million. However, Moscow responded to these claims unexpectedly; let us recall the history of 2010-2012, when Belarus was re-exporting petroleum products under the guise of solvents and thinners. Over three years, the import of Russian petroleum products into the country has increased almost 10 times. Moscow experts estimated losses from the “Belarusian scheme” at $2 billion. And this damage to Russia has not yet been compensated.
On April 19, Belneftekhim announced contamination of the Druzhba oil pipeline with organochlorine compounds. Russia's Transneft immediately recognized the problem. Clean oil began flowing into Belarus in early May.
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