MOGILEV, 22 July (BelTA) – During the working trip to Mogilev on 22 July Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko changed his plans and visited two troubled enterprises in the oblast capital — Strommashina and Mogilevtransmash (a branch of the holding company Minsk Automobile Plant), BelTA has learned.
Representatives of the labor collectives and trade unions of the two companies were invited to take part in the meeting with the head of state in order to discuss prospects of the two enterprises in their presence.
The President noted that he had been considering visiting Strommashina for some time and the visit on 22 July was an intermediate one. “Industry Minister Vitaly Vovk is with me here today specifically for this purpose. Let me tell you right away that Strommashina will not be wrecked,” said the head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko said he was not satisfied with the present state of the enterprise. He said a clear vision of the enterprise's future was needed. “Strommashina will work. It will have a powerful labor collective that you are going to create yourselves. So roll up your sleeves or, as the popular Internet joke says, get undressed and get busy. You can get undressed or you can leave your clothes on but as of tomorrow I will be keeping an eye on you. You should progress and do your utmost on your own,” stressed the Belarusian leader.
The President drew attention to the need to ensure discipline at work, keep up quality standards, and make competitive products. “Those, who don't want to work, have to go. But I don't think that there are many people like that at Strommashina. It has always been a powerful enterprise where honest and responsible people work,” he noted.
“This is why you'd better get cracking — you, the minister and the government,” added the head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko said he wanted the state of the enterprise to become as good by 1 January as to allow the company's employees to be confident in the company's future. “By the end of 2017 you should demonstrate to people that it is a normal enterprise that makes good products,” said the President. “Strommashina is a matter of our honor. We should restore the enterprise.”
Alexander Lukashenko's conversation with Mogilevtransmash employees went along the same lines. “I would like to warn both the management of the holding company and the enterprise that I don't ask for much just like with Strommashina: by 1 January I need people to be confident that the enterprise will live and will work. Orders and salaries are needed for that,” said the head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko was informed that the lack of turnover assets was one of the problems the enterprise is experiencing. The President noted that many other companies face the same kind of hardships, yet money can be lent only if there are concrete plans to sell merchandise and return the borrowed resources. “If you can say yes to that, the matter is settled. But if you want to take money, make merchandise sometime, return the money with zero interest at some point in the future, then we have no deal. I don't want to keep idle millions of U.S. dollars or rubles,” stressed the Belarusian leader.
“Before making something you should find customers for your products. We will help you in return,” said the President. “It is truly a good enterprise and I will allow no one to ruin it.”
Just like with other enterprises ensuring the high competitive ability is the key, pointed out Alexander Lukashenko. “We should do what we know how to do. We should cling to markets and make quality products while reducing the prime cost,” he stressed.
Belarusian Industry Minister Vitaly Vovk and OAO Minsk Automobile Plant Director General Dmitry Katerinich informed the head of state about concrete manufacturing plans in the presence of employees of the two enterprises.
