Alexander Lukashenko: Vitebsk oblast problem enterprises should become breakeven

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has demanded that Vitebsk oblast problem enterprises should become breakeven and performance goals of the current five-year plan should be reached. The head of state set the task at a session involving Vitebsk oblast top government officials on November 25, BelTA has learnt. The financial state of enterprises is one of the most aching spots in the oblast economy, the President believes. In his words, the oblast should have a clear view of the way out of the situation. In the industry quality, effectiveness, energy saving, the utmost frugality in using resources, and maximum reduction of costs are gaining primary importance. Only in this case Belarusian producers will be able to survive the acute competition on the domestic and foreign markets. Improvement of the investment and innovation climate, creation of conditions for highly effective manufacturing, and focus on smart solutions are also priorities. “Investments and innovations are our future, I would even say, our salvation. Without them it is impossible to create a competitive economy and raise the quality of products,” noted the head of state. The Vitebsk oblast should achieve better progress in petrochemistry, power engineering, mechanical engineering, communications and intellectual services. A lot has to be done for economic revival of economic entities and for overcoming loss-heavy operation in all branches of the national economy. Alexander Lukashenko mentioned gruesome state of municipal enterprises and poor state of light industry enterprises. As far as petrochemical industry is concerned, capital-intensive efforts have been put into remodelling and modernising Naftan and Polymir companies. A decision has been made to set up a united petrochemical enterprise in order to attract investors to global projects. The President believes the oblast administration should take an active part in this work. All bureaucratic barriers should be removed for the sake of successful business operation. In Belarus there are over 900 administrative procedures economic entities have to follow. Alexander Lukashenko remarked, he had commissioned the government with working out a draft legal act for maximum facilitation of the entire bureaucratic industry. “Certain liberalisation of the economy and de-bureaucratisation of all procedures should be carried out everywhere taking into account the accumulated experience and modern requirements,” said the President. He invited the local authorities to partake in working out the document and implementing it later.

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