Belarusians encouraged to exploit opportunities opened up by Western sanctions

MINSK, 24 May (BelTA) – It is necessary to exploit the opportunities opened up by Western sanctions. First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov made the statement at a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, BelTA has learned.

Nikolai Snopkov said: “Unfortunately, we have not encountered short-term crisis phenomena and external pressure will grow higher. We will have to develop amid high dynamics of negative processes. Last year we learned how to adapt to that. This year we have to determine ways of sustainable long-term development. The sanctions are not going away. But sanctions per se are not the key issue for the country's economic development right now. The key issue is using the opportunities the sanctions have opened up for us.”

“The effectiveness of our work in the new reality will be up to us,” the official noted. “In my opinion, internal resources and reserves will go to the forefront. We have massive human resources with great competences. It is the most important resource in the modern world. Our task is to support talented people, talented enterprises as much as possible, to find champions in the industries that can grow in all parts of our country. Primarily those, who are engaged in manufacturing on their own.”

In his words, the role of parliamentarians in this regard is impossible to overestimate. “It matches the head of state's instruction, who wants us to keep an eye on small enterprises in the regions that you represent,” Nikolai Snopkov stressed.

In the end we will be able to form an adaptable economy that is resilient to the new reality and able to ensure quality living conditions for the Belarusian nation, the official said.