Lukashenko names conditions for support of private business

Equal conditions will be created in Belarus for all those who work for the people, who work honestly and according to the law. This was announced by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on February 17 at a meeting with representatives of private enterprises, BELTA reports.

According to First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov, private business actively supported the President's initiative "One District - One Project" and is implementing more than half of the projects in the regions. "Of 208 projects being implemented in the regions, 116 are being implemented by small and medium-sized businesses. The volume of investment in these projects is 40% of the total volume and 65% is the number of jobs created from the total volume, or almost 7 thousand," the First Deputy Prime Minister cited statistics.

"That is, more than half of private enterprises are being created here. You help state-owned enterprises from the republican budget, but not private ones?" - Alexander Lukashenko clarified.

"No, here we help everyone. In this case, the conditions are equal. One financial product has been created (financing at 8% per annum for 8 years), it is the same for everyone," explained Nikolai Snopkov.

"I emphasized this on purpose so that entrepreneurs and businessmen understood that we put everyone on the same terms - both private individuals and state-owned enterprises," the President said. - If you are satisfied with such conditions, align yourself with state-owned enterprises and work. If not, see for yourself. And then, you don't need to align yourself with state-owned enterprises. We sometimes impose such reverse requirements on state-owned enterprises that you never dreamed of. But nevertheless, this is the main thing for you to understand: equal conditions for everyone who works for the state, for the people, who works honestly, according to the law and pays taxes."

"Not only equal conditions. We will support the private sector. This is my personal attitude. Those who work honestly, will get a strong support. And just tell me who is stopping you - the head will immediately fly off anyone, be he in uniform, without epaulets or a civil servant. Just tell me, but you yourself must be pure and transparent, like glass. That is the only thing I ask of you. No one will take your business away from you, no one will bend you over, no one will divide anything. I guarantee you this. But the state interest is above all. I am such a person, but this is not the point. The point is that the country is in such a situation that we can survive only by honestly mobilizing," the head of state emphasized.

Alexander Lukashenko said that he recently received a letter from the government regarding the development of the Wildberries marketplace in Belarus.

"They are ready to expand here and sell. The question is: what to sell? "We are striving for import substitution. Our market is small, but we would like to occupy this market with our products." And so on and so forth. If so, you are welcome. But one more thing must be taken into account. I do not want convenience stores, small shops, and so on to disappear. I do not want there to be a monopoly of large chains. And I do not want someone to have privileged conditions. But if someone has modernized and moved into the future, and Wildberries works exactly like this (I am already afraid that all trade will soon move to the Internet), we will support such enterprises. But any enterprise must work for Belarus, for the state. Then I will have no claims against you," the Belarusian leader noted.