News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 9 February (BelTA) – The Trade Ministry should become more efficient, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he heard out a report of Trade Minister Vladimir Koltovich on 9 February, BelTA has learned.

“It is essential to create a normal trade system in our country. It is not bad if you adopt something from the Soviet trade system. You can always count on my support. If you think it is necessary to revise the functions of anti-monopoly bodies, go ahead. I am not against this. Because the Economy Ministry is overloaded with functions. Soon they will not have enough time to deal with concrete issues. Therefore, it will be good if you take charge of the anti-monopoly service, if you take pricing and the organization of trade under control,” the President remarked.

Alexander Lukashenko believes that trade is an important sector of the economy and deems it necessary to step up control in this field.

The new trade minister should organize an efficient system of communication between manufacturers and consumers, the head of state said.

The President advised the minister to create a normal system which would enable its participants to organize private and public trade. “Nothing is forbidden. But what we need is normal regulations which no one will violate,” Alexander Lukashenko stressed.

He instructed the minister to pay special attention to the work of mediators. In his words, there have been serious violations in this field recently. The President stressed that the ministry should not neglect export and foreign trade.

Vladimir Koltovich, in turn, said that 14% of the able-bodied population in the country is concentrated in trade. Trade accounts for 12.5% of the GDP. Private companies account for 75% of all traders, state-run companies for only 8%. Big retail networks account for 64% of the trade turnover. According to the minister, the share of market places fell from 37% to 18% in the past 10 years.