Belarusian President reminds district chiefs of their state functions, sets requirements
09.11.2026
SHKLOV (
BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko set out a range of urgent tasks for the local vertical, following the working meeting on modern approaches to regional development, BelTA has learned.
The head of state noted that he regularly visits the regions and sees typical problems and shortcomings, and that the authorities must make it a priority to correct them. “The changes throughout the country are dramatic. Of course, the pressure from me was serious, and I see there is a result. But it is not yet what is needed,” he said.
The president’s requirements concern, among other things, ensuring unconditional discipline, abandoning unjustified intermediation and dependency, and improving the culture of land use and farming.
First of all, the head of state urged district heads not to be transient placeholders. “I very much ask you that there be a result after our meeting. You have seen what I want from you. It is not something supernatural, not within six months or a year. Gradually,” he said. “I call on you to be masters on your own land. The chairperson of a district executive committee must be a president on this piece of land [entrusted to him].”
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed the important role of the heads of the local vertical: they perform many state functions, resolve various issues of people’s daily life on the ground, and they concentrate material resources and levers, as well as ideological and personnel work. And, of course, agricultural issues as one of the key areas of the economy. “Agriculture is business. Yes, it is business, but besides business they also deal with political issues: you have personnel and ideology. That is why the attitude towards you and the requirements on you are corresponding. Act!” the president stressed.
Speaking about the further development of agriculture, the head of state set the task of relying on one’s own strength and making more effective use of the existing potential, which, by the way, was developed with considerable budget support. And at the same time, gradually getting rid of dependency. “We must move away from this little by little. We must earn for ourselves,” he said.
The president noted that in livestock farming, it is not only the dairy direction that is profitable but the beef direction as well. It is less labor-intensive, not so high-tech, and can be used in regions where there are no large labor or material resources; it does not require expensive equipment or highly qualified specialists. But to reach a profitable level, certain weight gains must be ensured through timely feeding and proper care, that is, through unwavering observance of discipline.
“Everything must be done according to technology. That is why I demand discipline - technology pushes us towards it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “The main issue is labor discipline, which follows from technological discipline. To milk on time, to feed, to plough, to sow, to provide care and to harvest on time - that is technology. And it demands the strictest discipline.”
Another requirement drawn from life is the rejection of unjustified intermediation. “Without any intermediaries. We must move away from this. And there is no need to be afraid. The market is the market. We already know what the market is - we have had our fill of it. We must plan. In all directions,” the head of state stressed. He noted that he is not against the work of private business, but they must not be monopolists and dictate prices to everyone. As an example, the conversation turned to the supply of spare parts and chemical preparations for agriculture. “The government, together with the governors, must decide what it [Agriculture and Food Ministry] should purchase centrally,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said about the need to move to such purchases for these items and their distribution to agricultural organizations through the network of agricultural service companies and agrochemicals facilities.
The president is confident that as soon as state structures begin to engage in centralized purchases, prices from intermediaries will fall. “Let them offer a normal price in fair competition,” he added.
The head of state placed particular emphasis on the need to improve the culture of farming, the quality and timeliness of preparing and cultivating fields, and autumn ploughing. “We must plough day and night. Talk to people, pay them fair money [so that they do this],” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president demands a more careful attitude to the cultivation of small-contour fields, so that they do not become overgrown at the edges and their useful area does not shrink. As for the quality of ploughing, here the responsibility of engineers and agronomists for the correct adjustment of ploughs must be strengthened. “Everything begins with ploughing. While it is winter, we must teach people and explain things to them. And in spring - control it. Poor ploughing means wild costs [for carrying out additional work with the involvement of machinery]. And fuel is not cheap today,” the head of state said.
Among the tasks is also the use of floodplain areas for growing fodder crops. This requires special machinery, for the development of which the state is ready to allocate funds. Otherwise, these territories will become overgrown and far more expensive land reclamation work will be needed to return them to use. Similar approaches apply to compacted soil layers beneath the plough horizon that form because of many years of cultivating the land to the same depth, which prevents water from draining deeper. “They must be broken up and put in order. This must be done. Otherwise we are waterlogging the soil,” the president stressed. Speaking about the careful attitude to land resources, he once again reminded of the ban on transferring agricultural land for housing construction.
Aleksandr Lukashenko, summing up, explained why it is important for the current generation to carry out all the transformations in the regions and bring them to a certain level. “Children come after us. And they are different. They do not want to poke about in manure, they do not want to milk cows, but everyone wants to live well, including them,” the president said. “We [the current generation] are not indifferent to what the country will be like. That is why today we must give them an option. If they want to take advantage of it – good. If they do not – let them think for themselves. But gradually we must involve them in the life that you and I are trying to develop.”
The head of state noted that he regularly visits the regions and sees typical problems and shortcomings, and that the authorities must make it a priority to correct them. “The changes throughout the country are dramatic. Of course, the pressure from me was serious, and I see there is a result. But it is not yet what is needed,” he said.
The president’s requirements concern, among other things, ensuring unconditional discipline, abandoning unjustified intermediation and dependency, and improving the culture of land use and farming.
First of all, the head of state urged district heads not to be transient placeholders. “I very much ask you that there be a result after our meeting. You have seen what I want from you. It is not something supernatural, not within six months or a year. Gradually,” he said. “I call on you to be masters on your own land. The chairperson of a district executive committee must be a president on this piece of land [entrusted to him].”
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed the important role of the heads of the local vertical: they perform many state functions, resolve various issues of people’s daily life on the ground, and they concentrate material resources and levers, as well as ideological and personnel work. And, of course, agricultural issues as one of the key areas of the economy. “Agriculture is business. Yes, it is business, but besides business they also deal with political issues: you have personnel and ideology. That is why the attitude towards you and the requirements on you are corresponding. Act!” the president stressed.
Speaking about the further development of agriculture, the head of state set the task of relying on one’s own strength and making more effective use of the existing potential, which, by the way, was developed with considerable budget support. And at the same time, gradually getting rid of dependency. “We must move away from this little by little. We must earn for ourselves,” he said.
The president noted that in livestock farming, it is not only the dairy direction that is profitable but the beef direction as well. It is less labor-intensive, not so high-tech, and can be used in regions where there are no large labor or material resources; it does not require expensive equipment or highly qualified specialists. But to reach a profitable level, certain weight gains must be ensured through timely feeding and proper care, that is, through unwavering observance of discipline.
“Everything must be done according to technology. That is why I demand discipline - technology pushes us towards it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “The main issue is labor discipline, which follows from technological discipline. To milk on time, to feed, to plough, to sow, to provide care and to harvest on time - that is technology. And it demands the strictest discipline.”
Another requirement drawn from life is the rejection of unjustified intermediation. “Without any intermediaries. We must move away from this. And there is no need to be afraid. The market is the market. We already know what the market is - we have had our fill of it. We must plan. In all directions,” the head of state stressed. He noted that he is not against the work of private business, but they must not be monopolists and dictate prices to everyone. As an example, the conversation turned to the supply of spare parts and chemical preparations for agriculture. “The government, together with the governors, must decide what it [Agriculture and Food Ministry] should purchase centrally,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said about the need to move to such purchases for these items and their distribution to agricultural organizations through the network of agricultural service companies and agrochemicals facilities.
The president is confident that as soon as state structures begin to engage in centralized purchases, prices from intermediaries will fall. “Let them offer a normal price in fair competition,” he added.
The head of state placed particular emphasis on the need to improve the culture of farming, the quality and timeliness of preparing and cultivating fields, and autumn ploughing. “We must plough day and night. Talk to people, pay them fair money [so that they do this],” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president demands a more careful attitude to the cultivation of small-contour fields, so that they do not become overgrown at the edges and their useful area does not shrink. As for the quality of ploughing, here the responsibility of engineers and agronomists for the correct adjustment of ploughs must be strengthened. “Everything begins with ploughing. While it is winter, we must teach people and explain things to them. And in spring - control it. Poor ploughing means wild costs [for carrying out additional work with the involvement of machinery]. And fuel is not cheap today,” the head of state said.
Among the tasks is also the use of floodplain areas for growing fodder crops. This requires special machinery, for the development of which the state is ready to allocate funds. Otherwise, these territories will become overgrown and far more expensive land reclamation work will be needed to return them to use. Similar approaches apply to compacted soil layers beneath the plough horizon that form because of many years of cultivating the land to the same depth, which prevents water from draining deeper. “They must be broken up and put in order. This must be done. Otherwise we are waterlogging the soil,” the president stressed. Speaking about the careful attitude to land resources, he once again reminded of the ban on transferring agricultural land for housing construction.
Aleksandr Lukashenko, summing up, explained why it is important for the current generation to carry out all the transformations in the regions and bring them to a certain level. “Children come after us. And they are different. They do not want to poke about in manure, they do not want to milk cows, but everyone wants to live well, including them,” the president said. “We [the current generation] are not indifferent to what the country will be like. That is why today we must give them an option. If they want to take advantage of it – good. If they do not – let them think for themselves. But gradually we must involve them in the life that you and I are trying to develop.”