Regional development

"All our regions need to develop evenly."

"Villages, towns and cities are the basis of the country. We have always followed the principle: every person should feel equally comfortable anywhere in Belarus. There should be no gap between a city and a village, a capital city and a region. All our regions need to develop evenly."

"Look at villages! How many abandoned, so-called unpromising villages we have. Go there. Take half a hectare, maybe even a hectare there. This is your asset, your children's asset. Do not seek to settle down near Minsk or within a 20km radius. Go to a village, revive it as many people do. At least do it to your village. This is your future. This is my advice to you."

"When it comes to employment, jobs and household income, our biggest concerns are not about Minsk and the regional capital cities, but about these towns with a population of around 100,000 where problems have accumulated. They have a big population and they need help."

"It is not okay when good and beautiful places that are convenient for life, are left untidy. I cannot say they are in disrepair but things could have been better and people could have jobs here. It is the main issue that I am concerned with. The fact that it is my native land has nothing to do with it. All of Belarus is my native land now. But this place deserves to prosper because the infrastructure is fitting here."

"The rehabilitation of Chernobyl-affected lands is one of the most important accomplishments of ours. It is our tragic experience and the entire planet draws on it now. It enabled us to believe in our capabilities and prove once again that we can deal with any hardships if we are united."

"A strong economy is the foundation of the country's successful development. This is why we need to develop, first of all, regional economy and create high-paying jobs."

"I do not want the whole country to gather in Minsk, leaving the regions bare in terms of workforce. We have given them benefits, so let business develop there. We will do our best to support housing construction there."

"One should find a place with ample employment opportunities for them. This is why we need to encourage our people to settle in small towns and villages, create normal conditions there like in the capital. We learned to do this in agro-towns. We can do this in large cities, now it is the turn of medium-sized ones. Everything is in place for this. One just needs to go there and work."

"Such big towns as Baranovichi, Bobruisk, Molodechno, Orsha and the like should become centers of attraction for people. We need to develop industrial facilities with well-paid jobs and create comfortable conditions for people there."