Lukashenko: Grodno Region developing properly, but there are weaknesses

On April 24th, the President of Belarus held a meeting in Grodno dedicated to the development of the Grodno Region

As previously reported, the Head of State arrived in Grodno for the final match of the Belarusian Extraleague of the 2022/23 season. The final match of the season was held at Grodno’s Ice Sports Palace and became a real holiday for ice hockey fans. In a decisive confrontation for the right to possess the President’s Cup on ice, the hockey players of Grodno’s Neman and Zhlobin’s Metallurg met. The game ended with the victory of the guests. Aleksandr Lukashenko personally handed over the main prize to Zhlobin ice hockey players: the President’s Cup.

However, the reason for the President’s visit to Grodno was not only hockey. This evening, the Head of State held a meeting at the Grodno Regional Executive Committee to discuss a number of the most important issues on the development of the region.

Opening the meeting, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed, “To put it bluntly, the region is developing properly, better than others across some areas, setting the pace of development in our country in many directions. Most of all, we are pleased with the successes of rural workers. Over the past years, you have been among the country’s leaders. However, as I’m informed (by the State Control Committee, which was instructed to study the situation), you also have weaknesses.”

In particular, the President noted that his instruction to complete the dairy complexes under full load has not been fulfilled so far, “The question arises why we built them. If the Grodno Region cannot do this, then what region will we rely on? We have set up perfect farms for cattle, but they are not used to the full extent. At half of the built and reconstructed complexes, even the average regional level of livestock productivity is not provided. e.g., in the Ostrovets District.”

According to the President, there are also problems in herd reproduction, “This is typical for Lida, Mosty, and Ivie districts. By the way, here, respectively, there is a decrease in gross milk production in 2022. In the course of verification activities, violations of technological regulations for keeping and feeding livestock and sanitary rules were revealed at 80 percent of farms. As a result, the loss of livestock remains high. This is already unacceptable. Last year alone, it amounted to 15,000 heads. Increasing cases are recorded in almost every district of the region (in 16 out of 17).”

photos: www.president.gov.by

Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out the problems in the production of pork and poultry meat, “At a time when the demand for agricultural products is huge, the market is open. We need to get serious about correcting the situation at the Skidel poultry farm and the Smorgon bakery.”

The President also has questions about the situation with stabilisation funds. Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that he once severely demanded that these stabilisation funds be established, and that trade choose the products that are included there. Addressing the Grodno Region Governor, the Belarusian leader said, “You assured me that everything was in order. But in fact, controllers note problems here as well, especially in the selection of potatoes, cabbage and beets. At the same time, your retail chains are inundated with Egyptian potatoes and Russian apples, the price of which is many times higher.”

Another topic that was raised at the meeting is the development of the regional industry.

“You significantly failed last year in woodworking, the textile industry, petrochemistry and a number of other industries. This is unacceptable for the Grodno Region. In Q1 2023, you worked at the level of last year, which means that you have not yet compensated for the losses. You need to recover faster. Like I said, you should work, work and work. The main thing now is to speed up,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The President underlined that now it’s impossible to focus only on Grodnoazot and the nuclear power plant, “I have repeatedly spoken about the need to implement at least one serious investment project in each district. When appointing the governor, the task was to take personal control over the implementation of one large-scale project significant for the region, and not on the basis of a republican enterprise.”

The Belarusian Head of State asked how things are going here and what is the situation at Grodnoazot, “In general, how does the region work in these sanctions conditions? What has been done in terms of import substitution, in industrial co-operation with our Eastern partners? Is the logistics for the delivery of components and goods built everywhere?”