Events

MINSK, 15 August (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko explained the new format of his working trips around the country during the government conference held in Malorita District on 15 August to discuss social and economic development of Brest Oblast, BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “If we talk about some scale or the concept behind my trips in the last few days, then, frankly speaking, I would like to more thoroughly, more attentively study the situation on the spot.”

The head of state noted that there are no extraordinary reasons behind his trips to the regions and the organization of government conferences as part of such trips. “In every place I was interested in this or that problem,” said the President. “I will constantly keep an eye on the fulfillment of the key performance indicators specified by the guidelines for the power vertical. I’d like to just warn everyone without trying to scare: all the decisions I make here on site must be fulfilled whatever it may cost the central government, the oblast administration, or the management of enterprises.”

Alexander Lukashenko underlined that the issues mentioned during the current working trip must be resolved within the specified timeframe.

According to the President, examining progress of the harvesting campaign is another important reason for a working trip to the regions of the country. But the harvesting process per se does not cover the entire scope of the working trip despite the importance of gathering in the crops. “We have already learned how to do it. The state has done everything necessary for that and even more than that. It is necessary to look deeper. It is necessary to take a look at the technologies involved,” the head of state was convinced. “I understand perfectly well that everyone will not be able to do everything at the same time. But we have already demonstrated what we should strive for.”

The President pointed out that the style and tactics of his working trips are changing. “I understand that every head of the oblast administration or the district administration can find something good to show off. But if I look only at things well done, then everything I don’t see may fail to get developed,” noted the head of state.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, the government conference was arranged in Malorita District on purpose: the district is lagging behind in a number of parameters. They include the growth rate of the gross regional product, labor productivity, merchandise export, and foreign direct investments. Apart from that, Brest Oblast has the lowest share of innovative products in the output — 1.1% while the country’s average stands at 13.9%. The district also fails to fulfill the head of state’s instructions to reduce the stock in storage, decrease the number of loss-making enterprises, and increase the workload of integrated home-building factories.

At the same time the President stated that the next time he was going to have a look at how industrial enterprises in Brest were developing. “We have a great deal of problems in the industrial sector and in Brest in particular. I have come to believe that the state of the industrial sector is at its worst in Brest. We will examine the matter,” said the head of state.

Alexander Lukashenko told those present: “I hope you are not going to fill your reports with assurances, promises, and expectations. Instead I would like you to outline the problems that exist in the oblast or the district. And, best of all, I’d like to hear how the problems will be dealt with. I expect you to produce both objective evaluations and concrete proposals.”