Lukashenko urges ‘harmony with nature'
Ecology is of paramount importance for human life and health. This is why the country has launched a campaign to increase the use of electricity in various sectors, including transport and heating, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he spoke to the personnel of Horizont Holding Company on 5 January, BelTA has learned.
The head of state was asked about the conversion of the housing stock to electricity heating as Horizont has launched the production of affordable electric heaters.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said that work is already underway on this front across the country. New houses are equipped with electric heating and electric stoves. "We are switching to electricity. You can see that we are not only buying electric vehicles. We are starting to produce them. We are actively promoting and stimulating this," the President said.
Electric buses are already in active use as urban transport around the country.
"In the New Year address I mentioned electric cars. But the main message was that God has probably sent coronavirus upon us as a punishment for ruining nature. If we do not have harmony with nature, we will be unhealthy and our children will be beggars," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He noted that a number of European countries have already set a time frame to phase out conventional cars. "We have a chance to do it earlier, and we will do it," the Belarusian leader is sure.
The president explained that the electricity produced by the Belarusian nuclear power plant will be used for this purpose. The plant will also allow the country to save big on the import of natural gas.