Lukashenko wants reasonable protection of domestic market

The domestic market should be protected, Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss the Belarusian industry on 22 July, BelTA has learned.

The head of state criticized the government and, first of all, the deputy prime minister overseeing this area for their poor performance with regard to the domestic market. He emphasized that it is necessary to ensure reasonable market protection. “We must protect our own market in a reasonable way,” the president said.
At the same time, Aleksandr Lukashenko does not think that wall-to-wall protection of the Belarusian market from imports is a viable option, since in this case other countries will retaliate by closing off their markets to Belarusian goods. “We have to accept the fact that we produce the same things that many other countries produce. Therefore, sealing off the border for imports and simply shielding the market from foreign manufacturers will not work. We must act smartly. For this we have a government that should help industrial enterprises,” the president noted.The head of state urged to more actively defend the interests of Belarus within the framework of agreements with other countries, including Russia. “We sometimes leave it to chance,” noted Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The president drew attention to the fact that Belarusian producers of tractors and refrigerators are being increasingly undercut on the Russian market. True, refrigerator sales are beginning to surge and positive trends have emerged. “We must make the most of it,” the Belarusian leader remarked.“Although we manufacture all kinds of equipment, we still purchase a lot of similar products from other countries, including places that we should not buy from,” the president said outlining another problematic aspect. In this regard, he asked the officials in charge why this is happening, whether the problem is about prices or quality or the absence of an effective marketing strategy.

The head of state asked what exactly was done to protect the domestic market and, most importantly, when the results of these efforts will be visible. “The ultimate goal is to make sure enterprises operate at a profit and make money,” the president noted.
Another problem that the president drew attention to has to do with the return of overdue external receivables that continue to snowball for the second year in a row. “I would like to warn company heads: this will get you in prison. Because you ask for cheap loans to cover operating expenses and to restructure debts. In other words, you hope that the government will again lend you a helping hand and [you also hope for] other benefits and preferences. I want to make it abundantly clear: your settlements should be in perfect order,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

According to the president, the launch of a new investment cycle as part of import substitution and localization efforts should ensure technological sovereignty and guarantee the sustainable development of Belarus. “Indeed, a strong economy is essential for a country’s independence,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

Another issue that was raised at the meeting concerned import-substitution investment projects financed using Russian state loans. “You asked for it. Putin promised me these loans, he is issuing them. We agreed that [the loans will be provided] for projects that will be of interest not only to Belarus, but also to Russia. Probably, they set the terms right offering financing for joint projects.” That’s right. So how are things in this regard?” the head of state asked. In particular, he wanted to know the status of these projects and progress to fulfill the president’s order to set up service centers for Belarusian machinery in all Russian regions where it is used.

The participants of the meeting also discussed efforts to improve the quality of products made by domestic manufacturers.