The Union of Russia and Belarus (Союз России и Беларуси, also called the Belarusian-Russian Union State) is a supranational entity comprising Russia and Belarus that was initiated by the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.

History

Originally formed on April 2 1996 under the name Community of Russia and Belarus, the community was tightened and its name changed on April 3 1997 to its present form.

Further strengthening of the union occurred on December 25 1998, with the signature of several agreements intending to provide greater political, economic, and social integration.

The Treaty on the Formation of a Union State was signed on December 8, 1999. In 1999, the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia also joined the union as an observing member.

Since 1999 Lukashenka has backtracked and cancelled quite a few projects and provisions of the so called "union state."

Role

Member states of the union retain full sovereignty, similar to those of the European Union. It seeks to harmonise the political and economic differences between its members, in particular by standardising taxes, tariffs and monetary system.

At one time, plans were set in motion to implement a common currency across the union. However, in 2004 Lukashenko announced that these plans would not be going ahead.

Belarus and Russia had been collecting the VAT in the country of origin, but from January 1, 2005 VAT is collected in the country of destination (just like in most other independent countries in the world). This change gave rise to a considerable degree of confusion and has disrupted many trade operations between Belarus and Russia, providing yet more proof that even economic integration of the two countries is not working, and that the union state is not functioning.

On February 10, 2005 almost all (estimated 85%-90%) private enterpreneurs in the country staged a one-day warning strike, protesting the new VAT scheme between the two countries and Lukashenka's economic policies.

Organization

The Treaty on the Formation of a Union State has established the following institutions:

• A Supreme State Council, collecting the Presidents, Prime Ministers, and the heads of both chambers of the Parliaments of both countries.
• A Council of Ministers,
• A Permanent Committee
• A bicameral Union Parliament, comprised of an elected House of representatives which contains 75 deputies from Russia and 28 from Belarus, and a House of the Union with equal number of deputies from each nation and appointed by the executive branch.
• A Supreme Court of Justice
• An Accounting Chamber, controlling the implementation of the budget.

Pavel Borodin is the state secretary of the Union State. He was first appointed by the Supreme State Council on January 26, 2000 for a four-year term. In 2004, his term was renewed for another four years.

See also

• Post-Soviet states
• Commonwealth of Independent States

External links

• Union Treaty Between Belarus and Russia (in English)