/ News
20.11.2020

Lukashenko: Many Belarusian enterprises have been preserved thanks to government support

GOMEL (BelTA) – It is thanks to the support of the state that many enterprises have been preserved in the country, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he visited the agricultural machinery company OAO Gomselmash on 20 November, BelTA has learned.

"Some of us are offered changes and reforms. They say we do not need it, let'sl sell it. We chose the other way, maybe a somewhat unconventional, a socialist one. It doesn't matter which one but we saved these enterprises. Yes, it was difficult for them but they had the support of the state," the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko assured that the government will continue assisting both Gomselmash and other enterprises. He added that the enterprises also need to fulfill their obligations and pay off debts.

The head of state was informed that Gomselmash has reduced its inventory backlogs three times and increased the sales over the past year and a half. A similar positive trend can be observed across Gomel Oblast in general.

"I was very concerned about the situation at Gomselmash. But you did a good job having reduced inventory backlog three times. This is a great result,” the head of state said.

“As for export, it rose by 18.4% in January-October 2020 year-on-year. Export revenues increased by 1.6 times," the director reported. “Well done," the president responded. In this regard, the head of state instructed to analyze the situation across the industrial holding companies and to reward those directors who managed to organize effective work.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also drew attention that there were no redundancies. For example, the Gomselmash holding company employs 13,500 people. “Indeed, there is a small excess. But people retire, quit, take up other jobs, and thus, the staff reduces naturally. We cannot throw people out onto the street," the president demanded.

As it has been reported, a positive trend in the reduction of the inventory backlogs has been registered across Gomel Oblast as a whole.

In January-September 2020, Gomel Oblast reduced its backlogs of inventory by 36% and increased the manufacturing output by the same percentage. “Different media outlets write every day that we do nothing but produce to stock. I ask the prime minister, he reports to me on the progress, and the progress is very good. They [opposition internet resources] do not need an objective picture,” the Belarusian leader said.

The Gomel Oblast gross regional product has slightly decreased over the period, but plans are in place to reach 100% of GRP by the end of the year.

Gomel Oblast Governor Gennady Solovei said that there were problems with exports. According to the president, export problems are due to the current global situation: “The problems with exports will stay. Nothing can be done here. The world came to a halt, there is no consumption, let alone the demand for mechanical engineering products.”

Belorusneft has also seen a decline in exports, which, according to the governor, may affect the economic performance of the region in general. The enterprise, however, continues developing and plans to increase its production output in accordance with its strategy. For this purpose Belorusneft will be using more actively both the domestic oilfields in Polesie and oilfields in Russia. Aleksandr Lukashenko said that he had recently agreed with the Russian president that Belarus will purchase oilfields in Russia. Belarus will develop them to increase its overall oil production.