Lukashenko: renewable and secondary resources are ‘gold’ that Belarus can easily take advantage of

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko has convened a meeting to discuss the issues of waste management and use of secondary material resources. Today’s conversation was announced back in January, when a new pumping station with artesian water, Shchomyslitsa, was launched for Minsk needs.

photo: www.president.gov.by

The Head of State called the issue of waste recycling a litmus test of work for all Government members, “We have no oil and gas (primary minerals, as you call them), but renewable and secondary resources are our ‘gold’ that is literally under our feet and that we pay little attention to.”

In this context, Aleksadnr Lukashenko mentioned Switzerland as an example: like Belarus, it has no minerals, but processes almost all waste, “This is the reserve of the economy. Isn't that right? Are we not interested in the added value generated by deep processing of timber, glass, leather raw materials or flax, for which all the countries of rich Europe are struggling?”

As recalled by the Head of State, there was a meeting eleven years ago, with the same people participating. “Many programmes and events have been adopted, and budgetary resources have been invested. How far have we come in this regard? Is there a result from our action? Have ordinary Belarusians noticed any changes, at least in their behaviour when sorting household waste or using paper packaging? Today we will comprehensively analyse the work of the Government and executive committees in this area, avoiding self-reports but focusing straight on the problems and suggestions for their solution.”

In this regard, the President pointed out to Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin the peculiarity of the post-election period and warned the entire vertical of power about the need for strict implementation of the decisions taken, “The peculiarity of the post-election period, as you see, probably will not be that we first gather at the Presidential level, brainstorm on this or that issue, and then gather a dozen of times with the President to once again convince each other that something needs to be done. We would rather meet, discuss… Those who fail to implement the decisions taken should not continue their work.”