MOGILEV, 5 November (BelTA) – State-run companies should be prioritized as far as housing construction is concerned. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement while talking to Mogilev residents after visiting a sport and recreation center on 5 November, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko told the Mogilev residents, who came to the sport and recreation center: “I didn't plan on meeting with you today but I am very glad that you've come. The oblast governor didn't warn me that people will be here. But I am very glad. I recalled my childhood when I traveled along this road. I know this area very well but I don't recognize it. It didn't just change over the course of a quarter of a century, it became new.”
Continuing the line of thought, the president talked about housing construction for people on the housing register. “If someone stands to gain by building these houses, it should be the state. It is my only requirement. We don't want any private construction we don't need,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
The head of state noted that the relevant practice has already produced results in Minsk. Similar requirements for construction are used in the regions, too. “I've often described how private real estate developers operate. A private real estate developer may not even have an office or people. He or she takes out a bank loan, approaches a [state-run] construction company, and hands over the money. Then the company builds housing with a small profit margin. The private developer sells the apartments at a good price and pockets the profit. One wonders why we need such construction companies at all. State-run companies should be given territories for construction. Make deals with them, with a 5% profit margin, and the prices will be in hands of the Mogilev mayor,” the president said.
As a result judging from Minsk's experience they have managed to greatly reduce the cost of housing construction.
Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that he is not against private companies getting construction contracts but they have to be genuine civil engineering firms with a sufficient number of personnel and the relevant specialists.
“State-run civil engineering companies should be prioritized. The state is responsible for state-run companies. When we set things in order here, the number of overdue construction projects that we have to finish dropped considerably,” the head of state pointed out. “We've put things right now. And we should move in this direction. Certainly, someone may not like it. You know who. But it is their problems. We should work in the interests of an overwhelming majority of people. Let's see what becomes of it in 2-3 years. The practice produces good results for now.”
Speaking about the work of construction workers as a whole, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed these specialists are very important for the development of the country. “What changes are you talking about when there are no beautiful houses? This is why construction workers are the foundation of any movement forward. Without it [the construction of sports facilities, in particular, rower training ones] there will be no athletes, it is impossible to train everyone on the Dnieper River, people will have nowhere to live. I've always appreciated construction workers. Construction is heavy work done in cold, rainy, and hot weather.”
