Aleksandr Lukashenko
MOZYR, 6 November (BelTA) – I warn against corruption in general and in road construction industry particularly, where suspicious equipment leasing schemes have been uncovered, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the ceremony to inaugurate the renovated bridge over the Pripyat River in Mozyr on 6 November, BelTA has learned.
“Many are engaged in stealing. These ones [in road construction] are too. We have recently discovered some schemes. The State Control Committee is now working on it. What are they doing? We have private enterprises that own equipment. Asphalt pavers, rollers, loaders, excavators. Your managers [of road construction organizations] rent this equipment. Why? It is three to five times more expensive. It is suspicious, right?” the head of state said. “Who are you paying? What lovers, mistresses, and others do you have there, whom you are paying money to?! If you want a mistress, pay for it yourself. But you’ve included these costs into road construction, into prime cost (economists know what I mean).And I pay [budget money] for it. Why should I pay for it? This is unacceptable.”
“Therefore, there will be the most severe consequences. I have always said, and residents of Gomel Oblast supported me: corruption is like rust eating away at any economic system,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.
“Why are you renting this equipment, paying five times more? Having built this bridge, you could have earned money and bought an asphalt paver or a roller, an excavator or a loader. You did not. Why? Be ready,” Aleksandr Lukashenko warned.
While hearing a report on the prospects of road construction, the president emphasized that he had instructed the chairman of the State Control Committee to conduct a thorough overhaul of the sector. “Terrible things are happening,” he said. “A private entrepreneur leases out equipment at an exorbitant price. What is this? This is corruption.”
As BelTA reported earlier, this topic was discussed on 5 November during a report to the head of state by State Control Committee Chairman Vasily Gerasimov. “Unfortunately, Belavtodor Holding Company has opted for leasing extensive equipment from private firms instead of normal fleet renewal. The Br25 million spent since 2023 allows private organizations to recover equipment costs multiple times within two years. It is an unacceptable situation. Belavtodor needs to think about what to do next,” the SCC chairman stated.
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