Session to discuss topical issues of economic development

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko demands to ensure balanced development of the Belarusian economy. The head of state made the statement at the government session held on 10 February to discuss topical issues of economic development.

“In the modern world such issues as the development of the economy, the search for new growth points are important for every state. We are not an exception in this regard,” the president said.

The session is attended by a big group of experts who have been directly involved in the implementation of the social and economic policy of Belarus. “On the one hand, some of these people are dealing with the economy today. On the other hand, some of them worked in the economy in the past or are still working in certain economic organizations. These people are concerned about the development of our country,” Aleksandr Lukashenko explained.

The president said that in recent time he has received many letters from various sources, in which specialists express their positions and opinions. “They sometimes criticize certain trends in the development of our economy. Today we need to discuss a few proposals taking into account the principle of openness of the president’s conversation with various population groups,” the head of state remarked.

In his words, in the process of discussion it is needed to specify further measures, probably, unusual measures, which will give an impetus to the Belarusian economy.

Various methods and approaches have been already used in the formation of economic development trends and economic management. “Having used them in practice, we know what consequences can stem from certain actions,” the president said. “There is a good proverb saying that the truth is somewhere in the middle. There are conservative and liberal ways of economic development. In various periods we used various methods and instruments of economic development. However, taking into account the fact that the truth is somewhere in the middle, I think that we will be able to come to an agreement and find a compromise today.”

“Our economy should be revised from the point of view of the human factor. However, the steps that we will make should not create preconditions for destabilization in the future,” the head of state emphasized. “The development should be absolutely balanced. Foreign currency shocks, payment crises and other negative phenomena that we had faced in the past are inadmissible.”

“Do not count on the broad money emission, my requirement is absolutely clear and derives from the essence of economic development in the past years: we will not print excessive money. We must solve all the issues using the available resources by balanced economic regulation and improvement of the business climate,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Many participants of the session have proposals regarding the use of additional sources of economic growth. The head of state suggested discussing them and warned that it is inadmissible to abandon the general line of the state development and economic policy. “Its main priorities are social justice, raising the wellbeing of people, protection of the interests of the country and every citizen,” the president said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko added that this narrow-format session does not replace the forthcoming conversation at the extended session of the government which is expected to take place in the near future. “At this session we will analyze the progress in the implementation of the plan submitted by the government and approved by the president. We will analyze the fulfillment of this plan in 2016 and the potential for the future. Today we need to discuss unusual measures and activities which can be taken to improve the situation and accelerate the development of our economy,” the Belarusian leader concluded.