Kopyl regional executive committee

We need to keep the economy going at least at the level of last year, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Parkhomchik, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Piotr Parkhomchik has a wealth of experience of working in industry, including in senior positions of such large enterprises as Minsk Tractor Plant and BelAZ. However, the new deputy prime minister is yet to delve into other areas of work, and Yuri Nazarov, who moved from the post of deputy prime minister to the post of head of the Belarus President Property Directorate should provide him all-round assistance. "You are intimately familiar with industry. The energy complex, petrochemical, woodworking, forestry are new areas of work for you as a deputy prime minister," the head of state said.

Piotr Parkhomchik

According to him, Yuri Nazarov in his new position will keep an eye on forestry and woodworking: "If necessary, he will provide the necessary help and assistance. He will keep tabs on forestry, woodworking. There is also Gomel Oblast. This is something he and Ivan Krupko promised me. They will do everything to ensure that Gomel Oblast reaches the level of at least Brest Oblast," the head of state said.

About the economy as a whole

Addressing the new deputy prime minister, Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined a number of tasks in various areas: from industry and agriculture to specific projects.

"In the economy our task is not to fall below last year. Industry should play the main role here,” the head of state emphasized. “Agriculture looks set to grow by 4% as projected. There is everything for this. The weather has been good. We are set to harvest 8 million tonnes of cereals (we are almost on the home stretch). Probably, this will be 8.2 million tonnes. That's going to be great. Plus rapeseed, plus corn. If everything works out we will have 11 million tonnes, a record high for our country. This will be enough to feed people and to make compound feeds for the animal husbandry.”

On new markets

It is important we tap into new markets and preserve the traditional ones, the president said. Distant countries such as, for example, Zimbabwe, are promising markets too, the Belarusian leader believes. "This is a unique country," he said. “You will be able to work in such countries. They also have enough problems. Zimbabwe, for example, has been dealing with sanctions for a long time. Probably, its gold, diamonds have been of interest to some Western leaders."

"I have already said that there is no need to discard any markets," the Belarusian leader continued. “If we are able to work in the west, we will work in the west, in the south, north, east... wherever our products are needed. Do we have a gigantic economy, like Russia? No, we don't. Our economy is compact. What we produce is needed everywhere: both food products and mineral fertilizers, especially today. We need to do this to prevent hunger. The West will buy these fertilizers. It is close to us. There is no need to give up on these markets,” the president said.

The president added that the number one issue for the Council of Ministers is import substitution: “We are talking a lot about it, and we have started to do something. Recent troubles, these sanctions have forced us to deal with import substitution.”

On the implementation of investment projects

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that Piotr Parkhomchik would continue overseeing the implementation of major investment projects he had been responsible for before. In particular, these are the investment projects at the oil refineries in Mozyr and Novopolotsk, as well as the launch of the Belarusian nuclear power plant at its full capacity. “Piotr Aleksandrovich, we have to get serious about these issues and finish them all. We need to deal with this red tape, sort everything out in principle. The BelNPP must operate at full capacity. You need to deal with these issues,” the president said.

The production of MAZ buses was also discussed at the meeting. “It is a very promising sector. You see that we fail to meet the demand. Everything necessary should be done for MAZ. You need to help, do everything possible to develop bus production,” the head of state instructed.

He recalled his recent trip to Miory and his visit to the rolling plant: “It is a good enterprise that can work. We know what needs to be done there. We need to make the best use of it.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko also touched upon the tanning industry: “We talked a lot about rawhides. I am planning to visit the company in the near future. Take a look at the management of the enterprise, at all those who manage this sector. It is a very important production today. The market is huge. We need to apply additional efforts here. This is not the same as making BelAZ trucks and selling them. The rawhide must be refined and sold with a high added value. All necessary decisions have been made there. We need to revisit the company and see how they are implemented."

The president said that among the important areas of work for the deputy prime minister is the implementation of projects at Grodno Azot and Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill. As far as the latter is concerned, it is necessary to organize advanced processing there, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. “We need to make it perfect in order to sell the finished product, not semi-finished goods, and provide ourselves with cardboard and other products as well,” he said.

“We should invest in what we can produce. Once we came to this conclusion in woodworking. If we have good automotive engineering, heavy vehicles and other vehicles, let us work further here, there is a lot of work to be done in these sectors, primarily is what concerns import substitution. It is the same here. If we produce pulp or something else from wood, let us turn it into paper, then paper into cardboard and packaging. Why do we export semi-finished products, and then import cardboard to pack women's pantyhose or perfume? We have to do all this at home. We need to work deeper in the areas that are effective today and which products are in demand in the markets,” the head of state said.

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 The state will pay close attention to restoring automobile roads of local significance. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he talked to workers of the agricultural enterprise Zhuravlinoye and residents of Pruzhany District, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “The state should now take a serious look at local roads. There are two programs covering an entire five-year term. We will restore all the municipal roads.”

According to the president, very serious work will have to be done in some areas.

Close attention will also be paid to land amelioration. “Launch the melioration systems, which were built once. It is necessary to restore everything right away,” he said. “A complicated task but we will allocate funding. While you should take good care of what has been created at the nation's expense.”

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 Products of Belarusian agribusiness are highly popular among those who live near the border. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko was told about the fact during his working trip to Grodno Oblast, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that a lot of people buy products in Belarus now. The customers include not only Russians but Ukrainians, residents of Poland and Lithuania.

“And thank god, let them come. If you have something to sell. After all, I've asked those [officials responsible for retail trade in the regions] to arrange simple, conventional retail outlets at the border. So that you could bring and sell products. So that they [residents of neighboring countries] could take products away. They pay good money,” the president said.

Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Karanik mentioned that guests from neighboring countries prefer driving to the nearest stationary shop after refueling their cars. “We keep restocking the inventory of those shops and see how trade turnover over there grows,” he remarked.

“It is even better,” Aleksandr Lukashenko responded.

The head of state also gave instructions to assist Belarusian agricultural producers with developing their proprietary retail chains, including in Minsk.

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Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has taken a number of important personnel decisions, the press service of the Belarusian president told the Belarus 1 TV channel and confirmed it to BelTA.

Valery Ivanov who had chaired the Belarus President Property Management Directorate for over a year, asked the head of state to consider his transfer to another job. Aleksandr Lukashenko responded positively.

It should be noted that over such a relatively short period of time, Valery Ivanov managed to create a dynamic working environment in order to fulfill the tasks set by the head of state. He managed to achieve substantial progress in improving the state of things at organizations subordinate to the Belarus President Property Management Directorate. The use of his experience and knowledge in another important area will be considered in the near future, after his health improves.

Yuri Nazarov took over from Valery Ivanov as Chairman of the Belarus President Property Management Directorate. In his previous role as deputy prime minister, Yuri Nazarov was in charge of mechanical engineering, petrochemical industry, woodworking and science. Yuri Nazarov has a wealth of experience in leadership roles. He worked at the Belarus President Property Management Directorate, was deputy head of the directorate in 2010-2013. He is intimately familiar with production and economic branches of this diversified structure.

In turn, he was replaced as vice-premier by Piotr Parkhomchik, who until now worked as industry minister. Piotr Parkhomchik is a seasoned executive with significant management experience in the manufacturing sector. For more than 13 years he led BELAZ, a flagship of Belarus' industrial complex. He knows all the instructions and requirements of the head of state, and he will oversee their implementation in his new role.

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 Agriculture needs iron discipline, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he inspected the selection and seed complex of the Scientific and Practical Center for Arable Farming of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that for a high harvest it is important to observe the technologies in the strictest manner. In some places this is still not done, including because of the negligent attitude to the results of common labor. He noted that farmers treat their grain differently. "They treat it differently. They abide by technology. They are in the field working all the time. Meanwhile managers of state-held agricultural companies hold staff meetings and consider their job done," the head of state said.

"We need dictatorship. And we have it. Let's turn it on,” the president put it figuratively. “Let's turn on the administrative resource and make people work properly. It's time to start working really hard."

In the fields of the scientific and practical center, the conversation was about the cultivation of legumes. For example, lupine is a crop rich in protein, which is extremely important as part of the feed for animal husbandry. Aleksandr Lukashenko inquired scientists and officials about the work and prospects in this direction. Moreover, it is also a matter of import substitution.

Another fodder crop is alfalfa. The head of state was briefed about its cultivation and use. Soybeans in Belarus are practically not cultivated, but farmers have an eye on it.

Alexander Lukashenko listened carefully to the reports on the advantages of these and other crops, instructing to test the suggested approaches in practice in the presidential experimental fields next year.

"We must try and see. If we see that it works, we will implement it faster," the head of state emphasized.

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Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has extended greetings to President of South Korea Yoon Suk-yeol as the country celebrates Liberation Day, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The head of state confirmed Minsk's interest in further development of economic, scientific and technical cooperation with Seoul, and also in the expansion of interpersonal contacts and exchange of experience among scientists and representatives of business.

“We are convinced that with mutual political will, we will be able to raise the relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Korea to a brand new level,” the president said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko wished Yoon Suk-yeol happiness, health and longevity, and also peace and wellbeing to the people of the country.

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Br3 million has been earmarked from the Fund for the Support of Culture and Art of the President of the Republic of Belarus to restore and renovate objects of historical and cultural importance. This decision was formalized by the resolution signed by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The money will be used to repair the roof and facades of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Murovanka, Shchuchin District. This restoration project will help preserve this unique architectural monument of world importance and prepare it for the celebration of the 500th anniversary.

The funds will help complete a restoration project in the manor and park ensemble in the agro-town of Zalesye, Smorgon District and in the palace complex in Ruzhany, Pruzhany District, and carry out conservation and restoration works in the manor and park ensemble in the village of Zakozel, Drogichin District and emergency works in the northeastern building of Golshany Castle in Oshmyany District.

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 We must take measures in response to Lithuania's seizure of our stake in the Klaipeda port, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting convened on 11 August to discuss the steps to set up port facilities for Belarusian export, BelTA has learned.

In addition to the sanctions regarding the transportation of potash fertilizers, Lithuania also actually seized the property of a Belarusian company in Klaipeda. Since 2013 Belaruskali has owned 30% of the shares of the Klaipeda bulk cargo terminal BKT.

"Not only have they imposed illegitimate sanctions. They've also seized our property," Aleksandr Lukashenko addressed the meeting participants.

"They stole from us," Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said.

"This should not go unpunished," the president stressed. “Think of the measures we can take in the near future and in the medium term. No one is allowed to seize our property. It is not enough that they went after our sanatorium that treated Chernobyl cleanup workers [Belarus sanatorium in Latvia's Jurmala was forced to close down due to the sanctions], but they started seizing our property. That's a lot of money. Therefore, we should be taking measures today and tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."

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The sanctions have practically not affected agriculture. Taking into account good harvest projections this year, the industry is expected to grow, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on 9 August to discuss the functioning of the country's economy under sanctions and measures to overcome them, BelTA has learned.

The head of state stressed the inadmissibility of negative production dynamics in agriculture. "What is unacceptable is the drop in production in agriculture. Not because we pay so much attention to this industry, but because the sanctions have practically not affected it. The sanctions benefit them. Our farmers have a green light in the Russian market. The most marginal market today is the Russian one,” the president said. "For agriculture, the sanctions are a blessing."

At the same time, he stressed the need to increase food supplies to China in order not to lose ground there.

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the industry is expected to grow by 4% this year. "The new minister [Igor Brylo] promised it. Everyone in Belarus knows that the agricultural industry is expected to expand by 4% by the end of the year. We are blessed with a wonderful harvest for all kinds of crops this year," the head said.

The agriculture and food minister reported that this year the agricultural industry is facing an ambitious task: to reach $7.8 billion in exports, which will be $1.1 billion more over 2021.

However, the president emphasized that these blissful figures imply value terms. But one should not forget about production in physical terms, simply put, "in pieces". "I demand that, given these high prices, we reach last year's level in terms of physical volumes. Therefore, there is no need twisting things round here... If we sold in pieces, can you imagine how much more money we would earn," the Belarusian leader said.

Agriculture and Food Ministry Igor Brylo reported that today there are practically no stocks in warehouses and that exports are growing. As for the domestic market, volumes targets have been communicated to each region, supplies projections have been approved, and the situation is under control.

Aleksandr Lukashenko inquired about the information that there is a shortage of certain types of goods on the market. The minister admitted that there is a certain problem with tetrapak packaging and so far it has not been possible to replace it in full. "That's the only problem," he said.

In this regard, the president noted that people should get the product to which they are accustomed, albeit in a different packaging: "They do not consume tetrapak. People eat what's packaged in tetrapak. So you should tell people that, indeed, there are problems with tetrapak and that you will sell the same product, only in a different packaging. Igor Brylo in response explained that it takes time to readjust the production lines. "The war is raging. You need to readjust them in a day, overnight!" the head of state insisted.

The minister assured that everything possible will be done to keep the milk volumes in retail chains at previous levels.

Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, in turn, noted that in addition to the packaging issue, there is this thing of surging exports as manufacturers find it more lucrative. Therefore, the situation on the domestic market is being controlled by administrative means. This is especially true for the city of Minsk, which does not have its own raw material zones.

In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the state invested considerable funds in the agricultural industry. Enterprises have cost advantages in a number of areas, and therefore, given the state support, the domestic market should be among the priorities.

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In 2022, Belarusian economy should perform no worse than in the previous year, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on 9 August to discuss the functioning of the country's economy under sanctions and measures to overcome them, BelTA has learned.

“Today we are having a working meeting of the government. It is an important event, but not an emergency. It is an interim government meeting to take stock of the current situation. I would be happy to see us having a good conversation at the end of the year celebrating the achievements of a relatively small, an average European-size country which managed to withstand an unprecedented and unjustified pressure,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The president recalled the task for the government to secure economic results no worse than in the previous year. “Will we be able to perform at last year's level? After all, the sanctions are unprecedented for our export-oriented economy. After visiting different places and studying various problems, I became convinced that we can do it. Those, who do their best, work well today. Those, who let their hands fall, thinking that it will go away by itself, are wrong, it is not going to be like that. Hard work, seeking new supply chains and consumers of goods is the number one issue today,” the head of state stressed.

Aleksandr Lukashenko believes that the government and ministries are still not working at their full capacity. “That is why we are having an interim government meeting today. At the end of the year we need to hold another government meeting of the same format, chaired by the president, to fully review how the country's economy worked. The major task remains the same – to perform not worse than last year,” the head of state said.

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