Minsk changes its rhetoric, having achieved loan restructuring from Moscow
It becomes clear why President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was so happy after his telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, after a month-long pause, Lukashenko confirmed his presence at the Victory Parade in Moscow.
It became known that Russia agreed to restructure a $10 billion loan intended for the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.
The corresponding order of the Russian government was published on the Russian official Internet portal of legal information, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Minsk is going to extend the period of using the loan until the end of 2022. In addition, it is proposed to fix the interest rate at 3,3%. We are also talking about postponing the start date of repayment of the principal debt by two years - to April 1, 2023.
Minsk insisted on changing the terms of the loan.
“Positive union dynamics have begun. Following the agreement on mutual recognition of visas and promises to strictly abolish roaming in September. Also, obviously, there will be a busy meeting in Moscow on the 24th,” pro-government Belarusian political scientist Alexei Dzermant commented on the information about the loan restructuring.
Liberal Russian journalist Alexei Venediktov points out that the agreement on visa recognition was signed recently because the Belarusian side stopped hindering it.
“Please note the signing of the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Visas by Lavrov and Makei on June 19. The Russian Federation has been fighting for such a decision for about 5 years. Recently, the issue has been “stuck” on the Belarusian side. And suddenly... From the point of view of union building, this is a noticeable step forward. All other events are going according to plan, despite the well-known boiling passions. There is something to think about,” Venediktov wrote in his Telegram channel.
Previously, he predicted a difficult conversation between Putin and Lukashenko in Moscow due to the recent repressions of the Belarusian security forces against Belgazprombank, half owned by Gazprom.
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