Lukashenko to governors: failure of state project on your territory is your failure
Large-scale government projects are the responsibility of not only national, but also local authorities – as stated today by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, at a meeting on improving the planning system for strategic projects
During the meeting, the Head of State recalled that back in spring he instructed the Government, the Academy of Sciences and his Aide Aleksandr Kosinets to work on the topic of creating a so-called brain core in Belarus – able to assess and supervise large-scale projects. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the projects themselves have been defined, showing a weighty set of documents with proposals on this issue. But are they all feasible and profitable?
“We need such a Centre under the President that will see what is happening and force all of you to implement these projects,” Aleksandr Lukashenko underlined. “The Government suggested me an option with two main structures: the Centre, which generates ideas and calculates their economic effect, and the Council, where the decisions are made on the viability and relevance of such ideas.”
It is expected that the Government will submit all generated and developed proposals to the President, who will make the final decision on major projects. In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko asked how those who will directly implement the production facility – the relevant ministers, directors, chief engineers – are integrated into this scheme, “How will these projects be staffed and resourced? Who will take risks and guarantee the economic viability and success of new enterprises in the proposed scheme? Council? Centre? Minister? Director? Why is it proposed to create a new structure?”
In order to hear all points of view, the Head of State deliberately intensified the discussion: maybe this structure is not needed? What prevents us from implementing the best ideas within the existing team?
“There should be no new structures or any new additional personnel. We have enough of these centres and other structures that need to be organised into a single fist in order to move in the right direction. Therefore, we must proceed from the fact there can be no question that there will be some new structure or a new ministry.”
The President also touched upon the role of governors in this process, “You are not strangers. The failure of some government project on your territory is your failure. This is also your area of responsibility. You see better there than anyone else. Moreover, you will receive part of the taxes from the implementation of this or that project.”
