Lukashenko sets tasks on topical issues
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has set tasks today on the most pressing issues on the agenda at his meeting with the Council of Ministers heads – as reported by BelTA
The Head of State, in particular, set tasks for the agricultural sector, also sharing his view on the acute situation with migrants on the border, giving instructions on how to respond to Western sanctions against Belarus and speaking of coronavirus treatment in Belarus. Some other issues also received attention, including those dealing with entrepreneurial reforms.
First of all, the President touched upon the harvesting campaign, completion of autumn field work and proactive preparation for spring – primarily requiring that all work is done efficiently, promptly and with optimal deadlines. As noted by Aleksandr Lukashenko, food prices are generally quite high and this will make it possible to improve and strengthen the financial situation of farms. Special emphasis is placed on preparation and repair of agricultural machinery for it to be ready for the spring campaign, while reclamation becomes a strategic task for the near future.
Aleksandr Lukashenko could hardly ignore the situation with migrants on the border. He told those present to pay additional attention to the issues of assistance to refugees at the border, especially pregnant women and children. In particular, the Head of State instructed to bring dry firewood to these people.
The Foreign Ministry was tasked to seriously raise the relevant issues in the UN and other international structures.
At the same time, the Head of State gave clear instructions in the field of border security, “The Defence Ministry, the State Security Committee and border troops should ensure control over the movement of NATO and Polish troops. You see that there are 15,000 military servicemen already there, as well as tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters. They have taken these to our border – doing this brassily and without notice.”
In addition, the Head of State noted that a dangerous trend is observed: there are attempts to transfer weapons and ammunition to the migrant camp in order to provoke a conflict.
Sanctions were another topic highlighted at the meeting. "They started scaring us with the fifth package. As for this fifth package, Roman Aleksandrovich [Prime Minister Golovchenko], you have been instructed: we must not forgive them anything," the Head of State said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also spoke about the pandemic and the epidemic situation in Belarus. Despite an emerging decline in the COVID-19 incidence rate, nobody should relax, he stressed.
The President emphasised it’s necessary to gradually resume routine operation of the hospitals which had been previously repurposed to treat coronavirus patients.
The meeting with the Head of State also focused on some other topics and Aleksandr Lukashenko said, “These have been put forward for a separate discussion since some issues arose in regard to them.”
Among these issues were entrepreneurial reforms. As the Head of State said, he had previously set a task to increase the level of small businesses’ involvement into financing state expenditures. The Government has developed certain approaches and submitted a draft decree On SMEs Activity for the President’s approval.
The meeting participants also discussed provision of state support to Amkodor and construction of a new academic building for the Belarusian State University.
