NUCLEAR POWER IN BELARUS AND WORLDWIDE
GOMEL, 17 November (BelTA) – Public revelations of uncovered corruption facts will continue in Belarus. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he met with workers of the industrial group Kristall in Gomel on 17 November, BelTA has learned.
“We will push for it. Next year, the Year of Quality we will force everyone to do quality work. Including those, who want it, and those, who don't. Well, if you are a thief, a fraud, a trickster, then we will treat you like those corrupt dairy industry executives. You will not be handled with kid gloves. And we will publicly name and shame bribe takers,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated.
“Although I am often told that the situation in Belarus is satisfactory. But I don't want to see corruption at all. It is unacceptable to steal, sell someone else's stuff in exchange for bribes, and pocket the profits. Starting with retailers and ending with those frauds,” the Belarusian leader added.
BelTA reported earlier that on 14 November Aleksandr Lukashenko used the Mogilev-based dairy enterprise Babushkina Krynka as an example to describe the corruption scheme that had been cracked open by law enforcement agencies.
A new head of the company was appointed several years ago. He hired his own “team” made up of friends and relatives and launched “a new sales policy”.
As a result of investigative measures eight commercial groups have been uncovered, which have established control over the export of products of a number of Belarusian milk-processing enterprises to Russia on the terms that benefit these groups.
“A distinguishing trait in operations of owners of Belarusian companies was the existence of commercial entities operating in Russia and controlled by these owners. As part of the scheme merchandise was sold [to these commercial entities] at minimal markups. Then the products were sold to end consumers at higher prices while the tax base was reduced. Reports indicate that the scheme would not have been possible without the involvement of officials and executives of enterprises and government agencies. Roman Aleksandrovich [Golovchenko, Prime Minister of Belarus], you will be made answerable as well if it turns out that your people were involved. There are reasons to believe that members of the government may be involved. I am not going to specify names while the investigation is in progress,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
