June 17, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko addressed the issue of public-private partnership at a press conference. "We should not deify private owners. Don't turn them into a "sacred cow," the president said. According to him, the authorities do not intervene in private business, its effectiveness is on the back burner."
The President noted that there is no market economy in its purest form anywhere in the world. The exception, according to the president, is the United States.
«But there’s another situation there. They «press the button and print,» and we’ll pay for everything, because it is unsecured, printed money, given as inflation,» said the president.
«Thank God that I kept 30% of the wholesale trade in state hands. The owners of the super-hypermarkets owe me to some extent, as constructed by the state. And they also responded at the right time, when I ordered to lower prices,» the president said.
Belarusian Have to «Endure with their Teeth Shut,» Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko noted that private entrepreneurs today do not have enough efficiency. In addition, the president blamed private owners for doing nothing for the good of the country and thinking of personal gain.
Alexander Lukashenko recalled the currency fever when the amout of currency handed out to banks by householders was no less than in pre-crisis period, but it it was problematic to buy the currency at exchange offices of the bank. Then, according to the president, the currency was bought by the bank employees themselves and not only for their own needs, but for resale as well.
According to the president, the situation will stabilized in several months, meanwhile the Belarusians need «to endure with their teeth shut.»
In addition, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that Belarus could overcome the current crisis without Crisis Fund loaning. The country appealed for a loan, according to the president, not to direct money to any specific projects, but to create a «safety cushion» for Belarus’s gold and currency reserves to increase from $5-7 billion to $10-13 billion. «Then no terrible disasters will threaten us,» said the president.
It’s Untrue that Private Owner is Lukashenko’s Enemy, Lukashenko
The President is wary enough to proposals to include business leaders in Parliament. According to him, having got the power, they will lobby mainly for their interests, and their parliamentary activities will be subject only to their business.
Council of Entrepreneurship at the President is currently being formed in Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko plans to make it a powerful structure not to repeat the way of business parliamentarians.
«It’s untrue that the private owner is Lukashenko’s enemy. It is easier to talk with private owners irrespective of their ideology. If he defends the interests of the country, he will support my ideology,» stressed Alexander Lukashenko.
