Lukashenko: Trade networks should be involved in serving the population in small villages

August 27, 2025

Trade networks should be involved in serving the population in small villages, even those that are not considered promising. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on August 26 at a meeting on the effectiveness of the trade service system for the population nationwide, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.

"Trade networks should be involved in serving the population in small villages, even those that are not considered promising," the head of state instructed. - A balance must be ensured: if you build a profitable business in the capital and other large cities, take on social responsibility for serving consumers in rural areas. Especially since there are not so many problematic areas."

"I want you to hear this. All our smart traders rushed to the big cities, built shops here, live well, true, all the owners and proprietors are on the French Riviera. So, organize it so that they work there, in the hinterland," the President voiced his demand. There are tools for this, he stated. For example, recently in eight regions of the country, opportunities for reaching consumers were expanded for large chain stores.

Alexander Lukashenko recalled that when appointing Artur Karpovich as Minister of Trade and Antimonopoly Regulation, he instructed him to reach every remote corner of the country and put things in order there. The head of state asked how the trade service system for the population in rural areas is structured by organizations of all forms of ownership, what has been done in reality, not just in plans. The President separately inquired about the availability of assortment in stores, ways to solve personnel issues and attract sellers to rural stores, and minimizing losses of trade organizations.

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