March 22, Minsk /BELTA/. The process of businesses acquiring leased premises into ownership in Belarus is gaining momentum. This was stated to journalists today by Vice-Premier Petr Prokopovich, as reported by BELTA.
"We will fundamentally change the attitude towards the sale of leased property into ownership," noted Petr Prokopovich. This particularly applies to those private enterprises that have their own development programs, job creation, and expansion of goods and services production. It is necessary to make maximum use of these premises, emphasized the Vice-Premier. Moreover, a regulatory framework has been established in the republic that allows for granting the tenant priority right to purchase the property. "We must move this process forward; it is beneficial for everyone – the state, the development of our economy, and small and medium-sized enterprises gain the opportunity to further develop their business and production," he said. The state, in this case (selling leased premises into ownership), immediately receives resources, funds, which it previously received over 7-8 years through rent. In this scenario, the entire sum from the property sale goes directly into the budget. Thus, mutual interest between private business and the state is evident in this process, emphasized Petr Prokopovich.
The Vice-Premier also cited examples of active investment by private businesses in the development of state-owned enterprises. For instance, the Vitebsk footwear enterprise "Marko" is embarking on the creation of a leather and footwear holding. There, a twofold increase in footwear production volume is planned, along with the construction of a new leather factory and the development of fur production. "This is a good example of cooperation between the state and private business," believes Petr Prokopovich.
Another example is the cooperation with the Mogilev private company "Sevrolyuks." This enterprise intends to double its poultry meat production volumes in Smolevichi. A private enterprise is planned to be established that could become one of the top ten largest poultry producers in the CIS.