MINSK. Nov 8 (Interfax) - Belarus would not be a problematic country for the European Union, if it was its member, said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"The European Union would not have any problems from us," he said in an interview with the Polish media, published on Saturday.
As for the likelihood of Belarusian EU membership, Lukashenko said: "No one invited us there, nor did we calculate such options."
However, "we would look no worse than Poles, Lithuanians and others in the EU," he said. "We have many things from what is needed in the European Union," he said.
Many countries "came to the EU, hoping for huge financial injections and support," he said. "We are not even raising the question today, we would be able to do without the EU money," Lukashenko said.
"All we need are equal, competitive terms," he said.
If there was an EU membership proposal, "we would consider it," he said.
As regards visa procedures between Belarus and its neighbors that are EU members, Lukashenko suggested making visas cheaper on a reciprocal basis. "Let us make it $15 for each other," he told Polish journalists.
At the same time, he said he understands that on the visa matter the Belarusian neighbors depend on the decision of the entire EU. But hopefully, "we will solve this," he said.