Lukashenko: Import substitution is the most important issue for us

18 июня 2022
If the Ministry of Industry withstands, the whole country will work, too. This phrase uttered by Alexander Lukashenko became a leitmotif of the whole working trip of the President to Bobruisk. Moreover, it can be called an algorithm of the efficient resistance to the sanctioning pressure of the West. 

The President demands active involvement of enterprises in the work on import substitution

The two key enterprises of Mogilev Region, namely Belagromash and Belshina, were discussed at length. The head of state was informed about the general capabilities of Belarusian industry in terms of import substitution in machine building. The sanctions spurred the rapid development of the country's own technologies and their implementation into production. The President demanded more active involvement of industrial enterprises in this work. The systematic work on import substitution and maximum localization of production has been carried out recently. And in a number of cases not only short-term financial benefits are important, but also long-term benefits, when a producer can manage resources and be sure that he will get the necessary parts and components on time.

"The situation in the world is not easy. I don't want to scare anyone. Of course, the most important issue for us now is import substitution," said Alexander Lukashenko. According to him, there are some problems in this area, but it has forced the Belarusians to get rid of imports. "A lot has been done in the direction of import substitution in these difficult and complicated times when they lured Russia and us along with it. There will be more cooperation with friendly countries, such as Russia and China, in the future. The President also mentioned his recent meeting with the Ambassador of India and said that cooperation with that country should reach a new level and reach the same figures as in Belarus' cooperation with China. "We have to endure, endure. Difficulties, difficulties. Everyone should mind his own business."

The theses of the answers of the head of the state: "Nobody knows how it will end up there", "The West is trying hard to drag Belarus into the conflict", "The Americans are losing, but they do not want to admit it", "The grain export was artificial and has disappeared". And on the whole this situation with Ukraine is an attempt for a large redistribution of the world. Belarusians need to defend their country. 

According to the President, this is made possible by the fact that behind Poland are the Americans, who fund, give weapons, transfer armed forces. "We can see that. That's why I have to keep the armed forces on the alert in the west and in the south as well. I have ten units lined up along the border behind the border guards' backs so they don't get into Belarus. I had such thoughts," said Alexander Lukashenko.

The President is sure that the West is seeking to draw Belarus into this conflict. "I have never been asked by Putin: go ahead and kill someone in Ukraine and so on. But they are pushing us into this conflict in order to deal with both Russia and Belarus and build a front - a line from St. Petersburg to Rostov. So that there won't be this Belarusian balcony, as they call it. It didn't work in 2020. They keep doing it by other methods," noted the head of the state.

The President stressed that Belarus should not get involved in this conflict and not create a war. "We need to protect this piece of land. So far, thank God, we've managed. For me, the main thing is not to get involved in this Ukrainian conflict, but to make it end as soon as possible," he said.

The President attributes changes in prices to external factors, but warns: no one is allowed to profit from it. The situation in the world is not easy, there is a crisis. Import substitution is the most important issue, which will give impetus to the development of our economy.