LYASKOVICHI, 15 August (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko aims to realize a project for a large garden near Minsk, naming the person to bring to life the idea during his the opening ceremony of the Call of Polesie festival in Lyaskovichi on 15 August, BelTA has learned.
“Yesterday, I offered a farmer a few unique fields right outside Minsk, which some have been asking to use for residential development, to plant Polesian orchards. I said: come and establish this around Minsk, so the city can flourish and blossom, just like Chisinau used to look in Moldova, a picture I still remember,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said regarding his visit to Mikhail Shrub’s farm.
According to the president, the farm owner was interested in the offer but took some time to consider it. “However, I think he will accept. It’s a unique location, and many would jump at the chance to do something there,” the Belarusian leader said.
The proposal to establish a proper orchard outside Minsk was first raised by Aleksandr Lukashenko in May 2026 during a session with the Council of Ministers. “I know exactly what is missing near Minsk. I would plant an orchard – a proper one, as we have the expertise,” he said back then. “This way, we could fully supply Minsk with locally grown apples.”
However, the idea of the head of state carries an aesthetic appeal alongside its practical value, as a city enveloped by blossoming orchards is a beautiful sight. Aleksandr Lukashenko has often recalled his 2018 visit to Moldova, when he and President Igor Dodon planted corn in a field outside Chisinau: “We were on a hillside, and I vividly remember the view before my eyes: I looked out at Chisinau, and the entire city was nestled in orchards – everything around was blooming and blossoming, a completely white city.”