«Border guards appear between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, then between Kazakhstan and Russia ... Let’s remove them,» the Minister of Economy and Finance Akylbek Japarov said today at the Kyrgyz-Russian Business Forum.
According to him, the EAEU will strengthen and will be a key player in the global economy. But for this, countries must strictly adhere to the charter and the fundamental principles of the Union.
«We agreed on the freedom of movement of goods, let’s comply. The principle of free trade — either it exists or it does not. There is no need to involve border guards and special services, search for drugs or terrorists among the products of our business,» Akylbek Japarov said.
He noted that solution of food security problems remains relevant within the framework of the EAEU. The Deputy Prime Minister called on the parties to pursue an agreed policy of import substitution, because import accounts for more than 40 percent of the EAEU’s foreign trade.
«It is unacceptable. Possessing huge raw material resources and potential, the Union should become the main exporter of food in the world market. The situation associated with the pandemic is to be used and can be used within the framework of the import substitution policy. I would like to give an example. For the first time since Soviet times, the fish farming industry in Kyrgyzstan exports all its products to the Russian Federation and neighboring states. The garment industry, production of textiles and clothing, honey, beans, and tomatoes have become more active. I believe that in order to increase the efficiency of the common agricultural market, it is advisable to carry out a unified agricultural strategy of the EAEU countries,» he concluded.
