Lukashenko rejects proposals for indiscriminate approach to joining inefficient agricultural enterprises
The President of Belarus rejected proposals for an indiscriminate approach when making decisions on the merger of inefficient agricultural organisations with state-owned enterprises – as stated by the Head of State at a meeting with the Council of Ministers leadership during the discussion of the draft decree On the Merger of Agricultural Organisations
“You want to join collective and state farms to state industrial enterprises. The instruction was that we constantly keep this process under review. You are making a proposal. Who and to whom will we join today? Aleksandr Lukashenko asked.
Belarus’ Minister of Agriculture and Food Igor Brylo said that out of 127 very complex insolvent enterprises, almost 117 are located across three regions: Gomel, Mogilev and Minsk.
The President replied that the country has already developed a system in which inefficient enterprises are joined to more successful companies, “Why don’t you like the current system?”
“Under the current legislation, conditions are being created for agricultural enterprises, for which we envisage debt restructuring, deferment, etc. In this draft decree, we are creating conditions not for the agro-industrial complex, but for an investor enterprise, enabling it to invest money in this insolvent enterprise over a three-year grace period, twelve years of debt restructuring,” explained Igor Brylo.
The President was categorically not satisfied with such an approach: to apply the draft decree to everyone indiscriminately. Aleksandr Lukashenko demanded to approach the issue prudently, in a businesslike way, “We have $8.3bn from food exports, because we preserved agriculture in our hands and modernised it, putting it in order. Discipline has been ensured. The peasants were told that if they fail to work normally under the conditions that you have mentioned here, they will be sold or will be affiliated to BELAVTOMAZ, i.e., they will lose independence. I told them this directly 7-8 years ago. Time has passed. Out of 3,000 enterprises, 127 failed to do something even with our support. Today you tell me to sign the decree to attach these 127 enterprises (it is not known which ones) somewhere. Moreover, you suggest to determine that BELAVTOMAZ or someone else will have some kind of benefit: three-year instalment plan, and so on. Now all this is envisaged and can be provided additionally for enterprises in a separate order of the President. Why are you breaking the current system?”
The Head of State pointed out that the Ministry and the Government, submitting the draft decree to the level of the President, had not thoroughly worked out the question of who and where to join, and most importantly, whether every state enterprise that takes patronage over an agricultural organisation needs the same benefits and preferences.
“Probably, the indiscriminate approach won’t work,” said Igor Brylo.
“You can’t use ‘probably’ when we are talking about the most valuable product in our country, when it comes to our land and resources,” the Belarusian leader retorted harshly. “Maybe some need this benefit, while others don’t need it. We are talking about the accession of collective and state farms (consider – state property) to state enterprises. I have told you many times that property, money and power are three pillars. This is the main thing in any country. You came to me to ask me to make a decision, and in the development of this you don’t even have anyone to whom you will affiliate tomorrow.”
Following the meeting, the Head of State instructed at the level of local authorities to understand in detail the situation in each of the problematic agricultural organisations and, if necessary, make additional decisions to make proposals for the preparation of orders of the Head of State.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that there are two or three unprofitable enterprises in each district, “This should be the area of responsibility of the chair of the district executive committee, the head of the agriculture department and one more official. Your task is to work in the system of co-ordinates that exists and generate results... God forbid you fail to rehabilitate these 127 enterprises. It’s actually nothing. Moreover, we still need to figure out why they became inefficient. Find out and then make proposals.”
