President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, standing at a school blackboard, spoke to villagers about the development strategy for villages and agro-towns, including within the framework of the "Village of the Future" project. This was the format of his meeting with local residents today in the agro-town of Tikhinichi, Rogachev District, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
Benches were specially set up on the street of the agro-town for the meeting with the President, and chalk and a blackboard were prepared for the Head of State to explain everything visually. Alexander Lukashenko noted that he had worked as a teacher in the past, and this experience was now proving useful.
The Head of State recalled that about 15 years ago, Belarus considered that "debts to the village must be repaid." Since then, programs for the revival of the countryside have been implemented, agro-towns have been created, the production sector has been developed, and more powerful machinery has begun to be supplied for the needs of agriculture. Consequently, the need arose to consolidate and enlarge farms. On the other hand, the question arose of what to do with villages that were previously centers of small agricultural enterprises. "The decision was made that all these villages must be preserved," he said. Alexander Lukashenko conditionally designated them as second-tier villages, and agro-towns as first-tier.
In addition, there are also so-called unpromising villages or farmsteads. The President noted that if people are found, and there are such examples, who find an opportunity to preserve these settlements and do something there, they will be supported. "The third tier – the lowest – these villages and farmsteads will exist if people are found who return to their village or simply take it over. We will provide land and assistance. Just so that it lives," the Head of State stated.
At the same time, the task of preserving absolutely all third-tier villages is not set, and it is not necessary at the current level of production development in the countryside. "Life has changed. The social sphere is also being drawn to this production – from these unpromising villages and farmsteads to larger villages, and most of all – to agro-towns," Alexander Lukashenko explained.
"That is, in the sense that I came here and we are talking about the village of the future – here it is. These are not some otherworldly stories," the Head of State emphasized.
In addition, Alexander Lukashenko recalled the existence of separate plans in the country for the development of urban-type settlements and cities with a population of one hundred thousand.