GRODNO, 10 August (BelTA) – Government support measures for small and medium-sized businesses are aimed at preserving and increasing the number of jobs, Belarusian Deputy Economy Minister Sergei Mityansky said during a tour of Grodno enterprises, BelTA has learned.
“I have positive impressions from visiting Grodno enterprises. The staff work, and this is the most important thing. The government support measures for businesses aim to preserve and increase the number of jobs, ensure that citizens of Belarus get stable wages and do not feel the pressure of sanctions. Import substitution was the main topic at the meeting hosted by the head of state yesterday. It is very encouraging to see companies that mainly use Belarusian-made goods,” said Sergei Mityansky.
Government support measures are received positively, he added. “We are working on the proposals with the government bodies. One of the latest measures adopted in line with the president's decree is to provide business with an opportunity to repay customs duties in phases. The decree will come into force in two months' time. Now the work is underway to specify the list of goods, types of activity, to which these rules will apply. In addition, the deadline for obtaining production certificates has been reduced to five days. Now businesses are obtaining these certificates. The basic rental cost has remained intact since 2019 and amounts to Br16.9. The right not to accrue depreciation has been granted as well,” added Sergei Mityansky.
The Belarusian Fund for Financial Support to Entrepreneurship also gathers businesses, large enterprises, so that small businesses could be involved in operational chains with large enterprises and find new customers, increase production volumes, while not being dependent on suppliers from outside.
Sergei Mityansky stressed: under the sanctions pressure, business found new options for work, new partners. “This was a stimulus for development. If before there were regular customers and sales markets, then today's conditions were perceived as a new opportunity for business to look for new markets. The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange has organized an import substitution platform to help business. Business representatives can see demanded products not only in Belarus, but also in Russia and China, as well as offer their products. This is an online platform where business entities can quickly find each other,” the deputy minister said.
