MINSK, 20 October (BelTA) – The primary task for governors is to ensure successful completion of the harvest season, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting at the Independence Palace in Minsk on 20 October, BelTA has learned.
The main topic of the meeting was the issues related to the Belarusian People's Congress and amendments to the electoral law. However, considering a wide range of participants, the head of state touched on the ongoing harvest season at the beginning of the meeting.
“The harvesting campaign will be considered complete when the last plow leaves the field and when winter tillage works are over. I warn all the governors against any window-dressing in statistics. I also urge you to do winter tillage on a quality note,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president focused everyone's attention on Gomel, Mogilev and Vitebsk oblasts. These regions are underperforming, he said. “Governors shall be held responsible for these areas of work. This pertains to everyone. I see that you have started showing some self-complacence in the eastern regions. By no means you should act like this explaining that soil in Gomel Oblast and Vitebsk Oblast are less fertile or something. You will be held accountable. If you do not understand that, I am very sorry about it,” the head of state said.
“Let me remind you once again why there is so much pressure on my part. In short: for us to avoid having to take up arms, we must work properly in agriculture and industry. Our fight is not about Ukraine, but about our economy, us. So gird your loins!” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“The harvest season is still underway. You all need to mobilize your efforts. We have some agricultural enterprises that have days off from mid-Friday to mid-Monday. They have three days off in Vitebsk. They still have winter sowing going on and they decide to rest so much. You will have an opportunity to rest in winter! That is where the prices come from. Prices go up because of the lack of discipline. More discipline, more organized work and there will be results,” the Belarusian leader said.
In his words, if the local authorities and enterprises are better organized, there will be a real chance to move away from subsidizing the agriculture.
The president also recalled his instruction about measures to control and regulate prices. “Everyone has been tasked to develop measures to control and regulate prices. I want you to hear this. We must work out measures to control prices. We talked about price freeze until 20 October, or until the corresponding government's decree. I reiterate that there was no talk about a total moratorium on price growth,” the head of state said.
