Julia Yakusheva: the Benefits of EEU Will be Felt Later

• 03.02.2015, 16:31
•  EEU,  World,  Interview

Julia Yakusheva

Executive Director of “North-South” Political Science Center

- How well is the society of the EEU countries aware of and use the existing opportunities of the Union? What should be done in this direction?

- If we speak about the wider layer of the population of the EEU member countries, then, unfortunately, they have not fully felt the advantages of the Eurasian Union and the impact of the Eurasian economy on the content of their pocket. However, for example, in Kazakhstan, those problems, the Russian economy experiences, had a positive impact on the consumers. 

 Ruble fell against the tenge, Russian cheap goods entered Kazakhstan, which are more profitable to buy than the local products. But this has caused additional tension and discontent among business community - here the situation is twofold.

On the other hand, the society has not yet felt the full benefits of the four freedoms, for example, the effect of free movement of people. Not all migration restrictions connected with the movement of the citizens of the Eurasian republics on the territory of the Union has been removed. I think we should work on it, because till now the national law prevails over the supranational decisions, agreements, which, in principle, should not be the case.

Of course, the result of the entry into force of the treaty establishing the EEU will not be felt at once, experts announced about this from the beginning. However, society must be prepared for the challenges they will face, because the moment for adjusting the national economies is inevitable. On the first stage there may be negative manifestations, but we must also be prepared to positive changes.

Issues on information, expert support of the processes that are taking place in Eurasia are being highlighted. Unfortunately it still remains on an unsatisfactory level. Very often, journalists, experts simply have a lack of objective, positive information in order to pass it to the readers, audience, ordinary citizens. It is just this particular opacity of the Eurasian Commission and its other bodies that causes serious problems. Therefore, the creation of the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the enhancement of its activity - now it is even said that an Information Department will be established – is very important and should be welcome.

Positive steps are being taken towards this direction, and the task of the expert community of the Eurasian countries will be to explain to each citizen in a clear language the complex bureaucratic aspects related to the establishment and the operation of the EEU.