Dmitrij Chernyshov. Belarus started a judicial war against Russia
2010 04 01
Relations between Russia and Belarus in recent years are more similar to the swing: one may observe them warming up and getting closer, including other positive issues, and then, on the contrary, negative in all aspects.
The ordinary turn of tension may develop into a long-term judicial burden. The lawsuit has been completed already, documented and delivered. Belarusian Ministry of Justice has lodged a complaint against Russia with the international body – the CIS Economic Court, performing also functions of the EurAsEC. However, as informed by the Court secretary office, the claim has not yet been received.
The point of the claim is the following: Minsk is not satisfied with the export taxation on oil refinery products and raw oil chemical substances supplied from the Russian Federation, and requests the Court to check the legitimacy of this measure. The matter is that “the concluded international agreements between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation provide for tax-free trade within the limits of the free trade zone”, refers the Ministry of Justice.
The authority points out in the statement that such taxes were imposed on the raw material since 1 January 2010 on the basis of teletype notice by the first deputy to the head of the Federal customs service of Russia.
Minsk has pointed out that Belarus is the only state in the Customs Union with which Moscow is dealing in such a way. Kazakhstan is also a member of the Union apart from Russia and Belarus.
Material has been prepared by the Centre for Geopolitical Studies with reference to the article from «Утро.ru» of 25 03 2010 | 
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