Economist, Sergei Chaly, believes that Belarusian appeal to CIS Economic Court — in which Belarusian side demands from Russia to cancel export customs duties on petroleum products — puts Russia in a losing position. "It is even possible that Russia will recognize the nonviability of the Customs Union", the expert said.
«Official Minsk decided to appeal to the court because it doesn’t doubt about legal rationale. And Russia will have to give a public response to the claim», European Radio for Belarus quotes the words of Sergei Chaly.
According to the economist, it’s possible to response «only in two ways, because there are only two options». «Admit that sighed agreement is not the Customs Union. Or admit that oil agreement is contrary to the signed Customs Union», the expert said.
The expert supposes that oil deal and agreement about Customs Union «either contradict each other, or Customs Union does not actually exist, because it does not regulate the movement of a big part of the goods «. «In that case, Russia will have to recognize that the so-called Customs Union is just a protectionist institution to protect from imports», Sergei Chaly said.
