MINSK, 19 July (BelTA) – Grodno Oblast primarily focuses on financial effectiveness of the work of enterprises instead of output figures. Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Karanik made the statement as he presented a report to Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 19 July, BelTA has learned.
Vladimir Karanik said: “We saw a slight decrease in output figures in the last six months. But in the period of external shocks we primarily focused on financial effectiveness of the work of enterprises and the oblast as a whole. Those figures are optimistic: budget revenues are on the rise in comparison with last year.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Do you want to say that you had physical volumes, you could sell but you didn't because you focused on financial state? You probably increased physical output figures, too.”
The Grodno Oblast governor responded by saying: “Individual enterprises certainly could increase the physical volume but they focused on ensuring stable operation, jobs, and decent salaries, a positive financial result.” At the same time enterprises are busy building new logistic chains and looking for new target markets. “On the whole, our surplus of foreign merchandise trade has increased and now stands at Br635 million. Net profit of enterprises rose up to Br1.2 billion or by more than 20%. The number of loss-making enterprises has decreased,” he stressed. “It is understandable that there are problems, many are reducing output figures due to objective and subjective reasons. Our job is to exploit the moment of comparative financial stability in order to try to recover the volumes by the end of the year. In other words, we've received this financial respite but we have to look for external markets, build new logistics, and launch manufacturing.”
After the meeting with the president Vladimir Karanik told reporters that the Grodno Oblast budget had a surplus in H1 2022 and its revenues are on the rise. “It allows fully honoring all the social commitments to our citizens,” the governor pointed out. In his words, active construction and equipping of an oncological early treatment clinic is in progress in Grodno Oblast thanks to funding from the central state budget and innovative funds. “If all the issues with equipment deliveries are resolved, the first stage of the complex will be commissioned this year and the construction of the second stage will continue. The second stage will be commissioned next year,” the head of the Grodno Oblast administration noted.
The construction of other healthcare institutions, kindergartens, and schools continues. “Not a single social facility has been mothballed. Their financing and construction continues,” Vladimir Karanik said.
