Zhirinovsky: “The Belarusians would have expelled Lukashenka long ago if it hadn’t been for Russia’s aid”
- 15.07.2009, 12:53
The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia called on the Russian authorities not to render aid to the Belarusian dictatorship any more.
The State Duma of Russia approved after a discussion at the plenary session the law on Ratification of the Agreement on Creating Anti-Crisis Fund of the Eurasian Economic Community and the Agreement on Management of the Anti-Crisis Fund of the Eurasian Economic Community, polit.ru reports.
The document was introduced on July 13, 409 members voted for, and 5 against it.
Aleksey Ostrovsky, the head of the Committee for the CIS and Relations with Compatriots, explained in his report that the fund would be governed by the Eurasian Development Bank, minister of finance of Russia Aleksey Kudrin was appointed its head. The number of votes in the fund management is in direct proportion to the contribution of a state, so Russia agreed on a contribution of $7.5 billions out of $10 billions of the fund’s total amount.
Duma member Valery Selznev raised a question why the dollar but not the ruble had been chosen. Deputy minister of finance Dmitry Pankin responded it had been suggested to make contributions in national currencies, but it was unclear what whould be done with mantas and tugriks.
Selznev also reminded about a “bitter experience” of a loan to Kyrgyzstan and noted that Russia would help “brotherly Belarus”. The deputy minister told about “fulfilment of obligations”.
Igor Lebedev asked about the difference in contributions. Russian gave $7.5 billion, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan one million each. Pankin agreed that that the main contribution was made by two countries based on their GDPs and gold and currency reserves: Russia gave $7.5 billions, Kazakhstan ¬– $1 billion, Belarus allocated $10 millions.
“We have helped the whole world, the debt to us is $150 billions,” leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky said. According to him, “All those who take loans are cheats and idlers who will never pay them off.”
“President of Belarus Lukashenka does nothing. The Belarusians would have expelled Lukashenka long ago if it hadn’t been for Russia’s aid,” Zhirinovsky believes. He urged not to give money to anybody.