VITEBSK, 15 July (BelTA) – Conditions should be in place to encourage and enable people to create jobs and launch their own businesses, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with top officials and executives of Vitebsk Oblast on 15 July, BelTA has learned.
“It is necessary to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs so that they will be able to start their own businesses. There is a lot to do in this field,” the head of state said.
He cited woodworking as a case in point: “We are surrounded by forests, however we use only 15-20% of our capacities in the woodworking industry. We need to promote this sector.”
According to the president, demography is one of the key issues for Vitebsk Oblast and the country in general. “The birth rate is low. More than that, people leave, the population shrinks. All the decisions made in Vitebsk Oblast are aimed at encouraging people to work on this land. However, the issue is obvious. We need to retain workforce. People should be offered a good job and a more or less decent salary,” the president emphasized.