Republic

The Belarusian light industry should manufacture the products in demand today and tomorrow, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told a government session on January 25. The session discussed the status and prospects of developing light industry enterprises, which make part of the Belarusian light industry concern Bellegprom. Addressing top executives of light industry companies, Alexander Lukashenko said, “I would like you to give a choice to our nation, to cloth people after the world fashion. I would like adults and kids to wear respectable footwear without importing it”. On January 25 the President of Belarus visited an exhibition of Bellegprom products in Zhodino. In his words, the exhibition featured good products, which are batch produced and sold. “If all the products were up to the level, we would be talking about rapid development of the industry, not preservation,” said the head of state. However, at present in his opinion only 50% of Belarusian light industry enterprises work well. Alexander Lukashenko paid special attention to the necessity of ensuring decent working standards and salaries at light industry enterprises. At present women account for 80% of the industry’s workforce. Apart from that, the session tabled the renovation of basic production assets. “The assets are deteriorated. They should be replaced and modernised. However, we’ve got to produce the make with the equipment we have. Money should be earned for modernisation,” said the head of state. The President also remarked, the problem of reducing the finished goods inventory and the improvement of production profitability should be addressed.