MINSK, 28 February (BelTA) – The role of the state should be not to supervise, but to ensure there is a transparent pricing policy and common rules for all market participants, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss the new price regulation system on 28 February, BelTA has learned.
“The role of the state from now on should be not to supervise, but to create clear-cut working conditions, common rules of behavior for all market participants. No one should come to you and ask you to regulate the price. Businessmen and manufacturers should set their own prices, but they should follow a certain track - a track of fairness. Have you worked it out?” Aleksandr Lukashenko asked.
“God forbid you to think that we can hold it until the new election, as it happens in other countries, and let it roll once the electoral campaign is over. It is capital punishment at once! I am warning you. No one will be allowed to fool people. I am personally responsible for this in the first place. Members of the government, governors will be held responsible in the second place,” the president said.
He agreed that this work requires a lot of effort and the matter is a complicated one. With the clear “supply and demand” scheme, however, everything will be simple. “It is a certain burden. Of course, it is much easier to do nothing. I will put it straight then: who cannot and do not want to do anything, leave your positions then. If you have no desire to work, then leave. I have not tied anyone down here. Today is the best moment to leave. There will not be backtracking, however,” the head of state said. “Almost all of us have come from rags. I definitely have. I know how ordinary people used to live. You are not ministerial children, either.”
“You haven't forgotten how ordinary people live, have you? Let us help them. Let us make those idling around work. I have made the corresponding instructions. I have given such orders. We have power in our hands. There is no need to talk about the European Union, the USA, Russia. We are no close to them. Russia, if it wants, will be the richest country. The USA can print as many dollars as they want. Europe is technologically advanced and well-built countries. Once normal leaders come, the European Union will work well. What should we do in this environment? Fight like in Ukraine? Everything starts with the economy. I am telling this for the 25th time already,” the Belarusian leader said.
The president has long ago instructed the government to develop a new fair pricing policy. However, what is meant by this fairness?
“First, for the consumer, the ordinary person, fairness lies in the absence of speculation and in a reasonable price for the final product. I'm not saying that should be no Gucci, Versace and so on. If you want it, you can buy imported goods. But we can produce a similar product,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Second, for enterprises, for those who produce, fairness should take into account adequate profit. Profit is the price minus costs. If you want more profit, you should switch from a Mercedes to a local car. I am speaking a simple language here.”
The price of a product means the wages of production workers, the head of state said. In other words, the profit received should let enterprises, first of all, ensure decent wages for their workers and investment in production. It by no means should settle in the pockets of managers. State budget revenues depend on the amount of profit the enterprises receive. This, in turn, means wages for a large category of workers and national security.
“Third. Fairness is the maximum promotion of domestic goods. This is one of the areas of work in trade,” the president said. “We have made the focus on big store chains. No one controlled prices there, either. Everyone engaged in trade got huge profits. Therefore, the final price for the consumer is also formed there. I have already said: it should not be the case that it is more profitable to sell imported goods than domestic ones. We are all looking for the reason. The State Control Committee, the government - everyone is looking for the reason. But it is on the surface - you have created such conditions themselves. We are losing the domestic market.
“In other words, the new fair pricing systems should maintain the balance of all interests. Please devise the formula to observe this balance,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
The government has so far proposed only a general vision of the fair price formula. It has both supporters and skeptics. According to the head of state, the assessments vary, but in general, experts agree that the existing system should be adjusted to a greater or lesser extent.
“We should have a reasonable price control. In general, you may not exercise this control, it's up to you. But you will be held responsible for the result,” the president warned.
He cited the rising prices of medicines and clothing as examples: "Today, various studies show that Belarusians are concerned about the rising prices of medicines and clothing. These are the most important goods for people. Doesn't the government know this? So regulate prices of these two positions. What are we waiting for?"
"We will review the government's proposals in detail, step by step, to develop the best solution for both the fair pricing formula and the system of price control and management. Remember, this is a very pressing issue, which is constantly on the minds of our people. It will always be under my control, because this issue is about people’s lives, including our own ones," the Belarusian leader concluded.
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