On 23 February, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 68 "On Financial Recovery of Construction Organisations". This was reported to BELTA by the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The document is aimed at supporting two construction organisations within the system of the Ministry of Architecture and Construction: OJSC "Grodnopromstroy" and "Stroitelny Trest No. 8". For the purpose of their financial recovery, the organisations' debts are subject to restructuring.

The issue of supporting the aforementioned construction organisations was discussed on 18 January of this year at a meeting between the President and the leadership of the Council of Ministers. At that time, the Head of State did not immediately sign the proposed draft decree, demanding that the support be strictly linked to the fulfilment of a number of requirements.

In execution of the President's instructions, the signed decree establishes that the condition for granting state support is the annual achievement by the organisations of the performance indicators for profit from the sale of goods (works, services) and the volume of contract work, as established for them in the prescribed manner. If this condition is not met, state support will be terminated.

Personal responsibility for the fulfilment of the decree's provisions is assigned to the heads of construction organisations and RUP "Belstroycenter", the Minister of Architecture and Construction, and the Deputy Prime Minister overseeing the construction industry, with control vested in the Council of Ministers.

As reported, on 18 January, at a meeting with the leadership of the Council of Ministers, the President explained: "I did not sign this document off the cuff. I had one question. Have they found themselves in some kind of emergency conditions? Are other trusts and construction companies working well and do not have these problems? Or is this just the beginning?"

Alexander Lukashenko recalled the well-known saying that saving the drowning is the business of the drowning themselves. "As soon as they start saving themselves and make progress in this regard, then we will support them and provide assistance and support," he stressed.

Following the meeting, the Minister of Architecture and Construction, Ruslan Parkhamovich, told journalists that the situation with the construction organisations for which state support is requested is an exceptional case, and in general, the construction industry in the country is working.