Aleksandr Lukashenko makes new appointments

On 28 December President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko made a number of personel decisions. The head of state appointed:

The President approved the appointment of:

When appointing new heads of industrial enterprises, deputy ministers and the chairman of the Belarusian light industry concern Bellegprom, Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that the personnel decisions are significant because these enterprises and the entire production sector are important for the country. “You will have to work at these powerful enterprises that have always brought honor and glory for our nation and the state. I know these enterprises very well, I appreciate the people, who work there,” the head of state said. “You should know that these are enterprises which are paid special attention by the state. We have always supported them and will always support them and will demand performance from the workers and executives as well as serious positive performance dynamics”.

According to the President, he plans to visit all these enterprises in H1 2013, including Minsk Tractor Works, Minsk Automobile Plant, and Gomselmash. “I am well aware of the situation but not to the extent to analyze their performance. However, I have certain concerns,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

The head of state asked to pay close attention to cleaning up manufacturing areas: “Put the enterprises into order. Everything inside the fence and 100 meters around it is your area and should have perfect order. I earnestly want you to do that”. “It is not a whim. People should be taught to work with order in mind. Besides, there is the Year of Frugality to take into account. Everything you will save will be spent on revenues of the population, your workers,” the President said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded about the instruction to develop clear-cut and definite modernization plans. “It is the key priority of your work. We will not survive without it,” the head of state emphasized.

The President also warned heads of enterprises against excessive hope for state support: “Count on your own strength only”. Yet he assured that the state will not leave these enterprises without aid.

Aleksandr Lukashenko hopes that the new head of the light industry concern going at Bellegprom enterprises. “As far as Bellegprom’s problem is concerned, I have strong hopes that you will get things going. We can no longer tolerate the things happening at enterprises of the concern. Their products have never enjoyed larger demand. It is necessary to revive the enterprises while the market is unoccupied,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Working at your enterprises (ikhail Suchkov was the head of Sukno Company) you felt these markets. You have a troubled enterprise. I cannot say the enterprise has become a great one but you have learned how to work in modern conditions. Others haven’t. I would like the practice to be transferred to other enterprises,” the head of state said.

“Negotiations on Kamvol are underway. There are relevant companies. Apart from a Turkish company there are Czechs and Italians, who are ready to cooperate with us on any terms including the creation of a joint venture and the buyout of shares of our enterprise,” the head of state said. “They understand that the Customs Union market is promising today. One can set up a normal technological enterprise and sell fabrics throughout the Customs Union. So proposals have been made. It is now necessary to start working on it. I promised that by the end of the next year, by 7 November, we will show people how the enterprises in which many people trust no more should be modernized. It can be done,” Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced.

“I would like you to see all the enterprises that belong to the concern. I want you to remember that private, extradepartmental, and other enterprises are also part of your responsibility,” the President added.

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the State Control Committee (SCC) should work much harder.

“I’d like to sincerely say that I may not be aware of fine details of the situation but it seems to me that the operation of the State Control Committee is slowing down. Or the operation has switched into a calm mode,” the head of state said.

“The Committee’s performance should not be evaluated from the point of view of money alone. Yes, you do work and the state budget receives more money and fines represent your results. But the State Control Committee is the kind of a public organization, which every step is a lesson to teach others what they shouldn’t do. It seems to me that the Committee’s performance has become less visible in this regard,” the President believes.

Aleksandr Lukashenko instructed Chairman of the State Control Committee Alexander Yakobson to pay attention to this fact and to tune the Committee’s operation with this in mind.

“I’d like to reiterate that some people consider our liberalization in auditing activities as the policy of all-permissiveness. It must not be like that! We are absolutely liberal and will not audit the companies that work well. And you should know which companies work well. At the very outside you can audit a business once a year because while it may work well today, it may show negative trends tomorrow. Those, who don’t work well and particularly those, who devise unfair schemes against the state and the state property, should tremble at the mention of the State Control Committee. They must be afraid day and night. And everyone should know that,” the President stressed.

The President added that right-minded citizens have nothing to fear from the State Control Committee: “The Committee should help the people, who work for the state, who honestly pay taxes”.

“We are at the crossroads of all ways and it influences us, the team, the economy, therefore we should very strictly monitor the processes going on in the material sector, the budget sphere, and taxation,” the head of state said.

“The State Control Committee is a very responsible and serious agency and I want you to produce good results starting from the new year,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. In his opinion, SCC officers should act more decisively and meticulously. “You should know that we need results, including public results, so that people should understand that bad deeds will not go unpunished,” the President warned.

In turn, Alexander Yakobson remarked that all the recommended candidates are experienced officers, who had gone a certain way in the state control system. “All these people are conscientious, principled ones and have a sufficient potential to work productively to represent the State Control Committee in every region as a serious instrument to prevent problems there,” he said.

According to the Belarusian head of state, the year 2013 will be the time of hard work for local authorities.

“As far as Gomel Oblast is concerned, the next year will be the decisive year for you. Gomel Oblast cannot mill about. Even if some things are improved, we expect faster pace of the oblast development. It is true for the industry, agriculture, and other areas. This is why you will have a complicated period. It is necessary to set your minds for very serious work,” the President said.

“As far as Minsk is concerned, I’ve said many times that you are in the public eye,” the President noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that Minsk has a lot of problems to deal with. “Unfortunately, a lot of problems in various spheres have piled up. It is also true for the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee but maybe to a lesser degree because they are farther from the eyes of the president but I feel that Minsk has failures in some areas. You have a lot of red-tape practices and many things are done wrong… The fact that the First Deputy Chairman of the Minsk City Council is on trial is a serious blow,” the head of state said.

“God forbid that corruption and red-tape practices in the city administration will continue unabated! Certainly, I will take the most severe measures. The Minsk City Council should be an exemplary body. Everyone looks at you. You are a metropolitan government agency. You have a lot of money. You should be the beacon in every regard. Everyone should look up to you. I am extremely dissatisfied with what is going on in Minsk and certainly next year I will take a very close look at Minsk. You should be ready for it,” the President stressed .

Aleksandr Lukashenko was critical about the performance of local government agencies. “According to my data, many people are displeased with the performance of local-level government agencies. Many people tell me that I demand little of the local government agencies and therefore they think too much of themselves. It is the level of the chairmen of district executive committees that we were talking about. It is necessary to pay attention to it and work harder on that,” the President said.

“Everyone should feel that there is a government in the country. And all segments, all branches of the government operate as one and nobody should be asleep on the job,” the head of state said.

Yet he warned against mutual coverups. “Yes, while working for common goals, we should walk together but everyone has their obligations and responsibility,” the President said.

He also added that as far as the personnel policy is concerned, it is necessary to seek very responsible, decent people, who can produce results, for executive positions.