MINSK, 10 March (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has appointed Aleksandr Turchin Prime Minister of Belarus, BelTA has learned.
“I deliberately chose to introduce our deputy prime ministers and the ministers who will work with them in whole teams. I want you to keep in mind this thing about yourself - you have presidential inclinations like me. You can make a dramatic move. But here you will have to consult with Roman Aleksandrovich [former prime minister and new head of the National Bank]. You are the head of government. And if I wanted a dictatorship in the government, I would have probably not brought the governors there. They are fully aware of the huge responsibility and the need to oversee a certain set of issues, be it economy, construction, agriculture or social matters. Probably, you are the right person for this,” the head of state said.
Until now, Aleksandr Turchin was Minsk Oblast governor. The president ordered to submit proposals on the person who will replace him in this role after consulting with the economic team of the government and parliamentarians. “So that I will be offered different points of view,” the head of state remarked.
“You have probably noticed that we have four or even five economists on this economic pyramid,” the head of state said.
The government is now led by the person who worked in the government and knows this field well. Former Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko has become the head of the National Bank. “Another economist. You are a good manager. Life has taught you more about economics than anyone else,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said about him.
Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi is also an economist.
“Nikolai Gennadievich [First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov] is the biggest economist of them all,” the Belarusian leader noted.
“I think that Vasily Nikolayevich [Chairman of the State Control Committee Vasily Gerasimov] will pay heed to the opinion of this economic team while making decisions or submitting proposals to the president. They will be more thoughtful, profound. And I will also try not to distract you with non-significant things. Well, what can we do... You have the most competent team to evaluate certain projects, facilities. And I think that you will set the pace for our economists and drive our economy forward. This is the idea – to put economists in charge of these processes,” the president emphasized.
“But I want to reiterate, this concerns first of all Aleksandr Genrikhovich: you see, we have never had such deputy prime ministers. They are very seasoned professionals,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
“Build relationships. Keep in mind that we have a country to take care of. The main burden in the government falls on the deputy prime ministers. Let them build contacts with each other, and move ahead. There is no need to divide anything. I will make sure you do not cross someone else's field, because then clashes will begin. We must calmly and quietly buckle down and work,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president also spoke about Minsk Oblast and Grodno Oblast. The governors of these regions were transferred to work in the central government: “These are our key regions. I am not going to downplay the importance of Brest Oblast in any way. But still, Minsk Oblast is large, central. Grodno Oblast is very efficient. Keep your tabs on it, Vladimir Stepanovich [new Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Karanik]. And you [Aleksandr Turchin.], keep an eye [on Minsk Oblast] until new people, new governors get up to speed.”
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