MINSK, 21 January (BelTA) – It is essential to support private enterprises, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said during the visit to the manufacturing and trade enterprise Minotor-Service on 21 January, BelTA has learned.
Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the state, government, ministers and heads of other agencies should not treat private businesses as enemies or rivals, they should treat them as state-run enterprises. “You call it public-private partnership,” the head of state said.
He said that private businesses should be developed for the benefit of people taking into account the demands of the time. The President is convinced that small ventures should be developed. In his opinion, there are good preconditions for the development of private enterprises.
The head of state was satisfied with the performance of Minotor-Service. “In the future your company and other enterprises should turn into strong defense sector organizations which will satisfy both the domestic and external demands,” the President said. He pointed out that private companies form a huge part of the budget.
Alexander Lukashenko also said how Minotor-Service was founded. It was established on the basis of an obsolete enterprise. Private funds were used to launch new production facilities. As a result, new jobs were created, taxes are paid, and products are made. The workers of this enterprise are paid rather good salaries, about $700. The President stressed that privatization should proceed in this calm and efficient way. The head of state inspected the technological facilities of the enterprise, he was told about a number of promising projects.
Besides, the President was informed about the efforts of the State Defense Industries Committee to engage private enterprises in the defense sector of the economy and raise the efficiency of their work.