Lukashenko asked Belshina CEO on whether the company works or makes stocks
New General Director has been appointed at Belshina: Aleksandr Kovalev – following President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s personnel decisions made today. Earlier, Mr. Kovalev held the position of deputy chief engineer for the technical development at the enterprise.
The President asked about the situation at Belshina, “Do you work? Do you sell? Or are your just making stocks? Or have you simply sent [products] to Russia, and they are stored in warehouses there?”
Mr. Kovalev explained, “Tyres are being sold. There is an increase in the remains of finished products, but this is a seasonal problem and the one related to the segment of oversized products. You know the previous problem, we are trying to solve it by creating a new distribution network in this segment. To this end, the company's specialists have gone to Russian uranium mining companies (in Kuzbass), and eight meetings are scheduled for this week. We are trying to re-contract this product, since most of the consumers have been contracted through a Russian dealer.”
On February 14th, 2023, during an extended meeting with the Council of Ministers, Aleksandr Lukashenko announced information about the investigation of the actions of Belshina’s head (who was in a pre-trial detention centre then): the man signed a contract with Russian partners for the sale of oversized tyres below their cost. Western competitors have left the Russian market, and prices for these products have begun to rise.
“What did this Belshina head do? He signed a contract with some Russian… swindlers – as I call them. These people cannot be called differently. He concluded an agreement that he would sell tyres only to them at about 16-20 percent below cost. They enjoy a great demand at present. Mining companies, primarily in Russia, pay huge money – so it is only needed to bring them there. He was selling the tyres at a loss," the Head of State said then.
