Lukashenko: the main task for economy is to perform not worse than last year
The President of Belarus held a working meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Parkhomchik, who was appointed to this post last week. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the new Deputy Prime Minister boasts huge experience in industry, working in the past as the Industry Minister and heading BelAZ and MTZ.
“You will need to delve into certain issues. If you are well aware of industry, then the energy complex, the petrochemical industry, forestry, and woodworking are relatively new areas of work. But as a person, I don’t think there’s anything new here for you,” the Belarusian leader said.
The working meeting was also attended by Yuri Nazarov, the Head of the Belarus President Property Management Directorate, who until recently served as Deputy Prime Minister. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “We’ve agreed with Yuri Viktorovich that he would not go far from the forest and woodworking. If necessary, he will help and prompt. He will keep an eye on woodworking, timber and the Gomel Region. He promised me together with Ivan Krupko that they would do everything to ensure that the Gomel Region reaches the level of at least the Brest Region.”
The President outlined the main general guideline, “Our task in the economy is the same: not to fall below last year’s figures, and industry should, of course, play the main role in this regard. I believe that agriculture will reach the promised parameters of 104 percent. There is everything for this. The weather pleased us, we almost harvested (approaching the finish line) grain crops. Probably, this year, we will get 8 million tonnes and maybe even 8.2m. God willing, of course, it will be great. If rapeseed and corn are added, then we’ll harvest 11 million tonnes (a record for our country) of the necessary high-quality grain in order to feed our people and to produce enough combined fodder.”
The Head of State also named the development of new markets as a priority task for Piotr Parkhomchik, “You know these markets. You’ve been even to Zimbabwe in southern Africa. This is a unique land and country. I can’t even imagine it, although they say that it is a beautiful, normal state. This gives hope that you will be able to work in such countries, where there are also enough problems. Zimbabwe has been actually strangled with sanctions for its whole life. Probably, gold and diamonds don’t give rest to some of our Western leaders.”
