26 January 2025, 18:31

Lukashenko comments on progress in import substitution effort in Belarus, Russia

MINSK, 26 January (BelTA) - Import substitution in Belarus and Russia has even applied the electoral process, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the media in Minsk on 26 January, BelTA has learned.

The head of state noted that Belarus provides itself with the most necessary things that people cannot do without. The country produces plenty of food of excellent quality. Moreover, it is exported to many countries. The manufacturing sector has been preserved since the Soviet times. It exports its products and shares its technologies with other countries.

"We have provided everything for human life, but we need to gain momentum. It is necessary to produce goods that will bring us foreign currency earnings. We have created Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation. We are setting other enterprises catering to foreign markets," the president said.

In recent years, Belarus has been involved in the process of import substitution, which became more active in Russia after the imposition of sanctions. “I am already telling Russians: let us leave aside Mercedes cars, and drive Moskvitches and Ladas. They are not bad. They [Westerners] brought technologies, too. Let us work harder, mobilize, and very soon we will catch up with them. We can do a lot of things,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Joint Belarusian-Russian work on import substitution is beneficial for both countries, the president believes. “We are making serious progress in this respect. We have already reached import substitution even in the electoral process,” the head of state said. According to him, Belarus and Russia have secured “electoral sovereignty” on the basis of their legislation, not some mythical “democratic values and principles”. “We have developed our own things,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. “We are no longer following your path. We are going our own way, but taking into account your experience.”