Presentation of the book of historian, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, president of the Russian State Humanitarian University Yefim Pivovar "Eurasian Integration Project in post-Soviet Space: 1991-2015(Prerequisites, Formation, Development)" was held in Moscow. In the book, Pivovar examines the stages of development of the Eurasian integration project up to the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015. This work is the first attempt at a comprehensive scientific analysis of the origin and implementation of the Eurasian integration idea in the former Soviet Union.
"This book is a result of long work on the problem of integration in the post-Soviet space. The first opuses were written around 1996-1997, and a book 'Post-Soviet Space: Alternative to Integration' was published in 1997. It was a different time, but nevertheless, I examined the integration models of Russia, as well as those that have appeared without Russia, or even created to oppose Russia," he said.
According to him, in 2000s, step by step, integration processes became even stronger: "Of course, they are far from being complete, those are only the first steps, but now they are completely different. The opponents of integration claimed that we are trying to recreate the Soviet Union, to build some sort of empire, so all participants of the process were in no hurry to create suprastate structures. But integration envisages the creation of suprastate structures - and they should not absorb state or deprive it of the sovereignty, but they are needed. Now there is the Eurasian Economic Commission (permanent regulatory institution of the Eurasian Economic Union), other structures, so this process has a new quality. But this does not mean that there are no problems."
According to Pivovar, the opponents of integration continue to claim that we are trying to recreate the Soviet Union, but those are meaningless discussions, because we try to establish mutually beneficial economic partnership using political and economic benefits, traditions of coexistence.
He stressed that the experience of integration was not always positive: "There were some hitches, problems, crises, because integration develops in modern economic realities. Any crisis processes that damage our economies can be felt. Including political processes, oil and gas prices, sanctions. But the most important thing is that despite all these difficulties the process goes on."
