MINSK, 20 July (BelTA) – Whatever the problems and difficulties may be, Western sanctions should not affect the development of the country. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during the government conference held on 20 July to discuss modern foreign policy priorities, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted: “As I've instructed the government, we should overcome the sanctions without any problems. We sell half of what we make. It doesn't earn us hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars. It is understandable where our markets are. Those markets have not introduced sanctions against us.”
The president stated that some Belarusian enterprises are having problems with buying components in Europe due to the sanctions. The head of state pointed out that these problems could have been avoided if more efforts had been poured into import substitution in Belarus. As an example he referred to Minsk Automobile Plant, which had organized engine manufacturing in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone together with Chinese partners. “You just have to work for it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
“Whatever the problems and difficulties may be, these sanctions should not affect the development of our country. Belarus' GDP growth totaled 3.5% in H1 2021. We should keep it up till the end of the year. Yes, it is very difficult. The key task is to survive and win just like on the frontline,” he stated.
