Private and state-owned enterprises should be treated equally. This requirement was voiced by the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, on February 28 at a meeting on a new price regulation system, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
The Head of State mentioned that before the meeting, he was presented with a large package of documents, but it was unclear from them what exactly the government was submitting for his consideration, whether it was an interim or final proposal.
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"I have practically interrogated Snopkov on this issue every day. Golovchenko reminded him that this is your main exam. People are watching us, they support us. We all rejoiced enthusiastically that we were voted for in the last elections. The people believed. And what are we doing?" the President asked rhetorically. "I repeat: if you are appointed to the government, you leave. They sit around, inventing some formula, and each has their own opinion in their head. The President has set a task and drawn a track from which you cannot deviate: we have a dictatorship. And the people support this dictatorship. Get it done."
"There should be no rigid regulation methods that could harm the economy. We should not excessively restrain the prices of producers. There should be normal profitability. Reduce costs," Alexander Lukashenko outlined the guidelines.
He stressed that enterprises should not include their expenses, such as the purchase of new cars, in the cost of production, in other words, pass them on to consumers. "If it were only cars. And everyone comes and cries. If they can't work, then don't work. Put everyone on equal terms: the country comes first," the President emphasized.