Republic

124 new enterprises in Belarus by 2010

There are plans to set up 124 new enterprises in Belarus by 2010, the press service of the Belarusian head of state quoted Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky as saying to President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on September 24. Alexander Lukashenko was briefed about the investment and innovation activities in the country. In particular, the talk touched upon the retooling of Belarusian companies. All in all, the national innovation development programme, which runs up to 2010, provides for accomplishing 600 projects to modernise companies using the latest technologies, building 124 new enterprises (the number stood at 100 three months before). The plans will be applied to processing companies in small and medium towns as well as agricultural processing companies, major power generation companies and construction companies. Sergei Sidorsky informed the President about the national social and economic development in January-August 2007 as well as the expected national economic performance over the first nine months of the year. In January-August 2007 the national economy preserved positive manufacturing and investment trends in key branches. 14 out of 19 major social and economic development targets of the year have been hit. In January-August 2007 the GDP growth rate made 108.5% s against January-August 2006, with the annual target set at 108-109%. Over the first eight months of the year industrial output grew by 7.7% up on the same period of last year. In January-August 2007 fixed-capital investments used for economic development grew by 17.7% up on January-August 2006. January-August 2007 saw 2.716 thousand square metres of housing commissioned using all sources of funding, 11.6% up on the same period of 2006 or 283 thousand square metres more. In January-August 2007 real cash incomes of individuals grew by 16.4% up on the year, with the annual target set at 7.5-8.5%. In July 2007 real cash incomes swelled by 12.7% up on July 2006. In late August the registered unemployment level totalled 1.1% as against the economically active population. All in all, the profitability of sold products totalled 12.2% in January-July 2007, profitability of sales — 7.1%. The President was informed, over the first nine months of the year Belarus’ GDP growth rate is expected to reach 108.6%. Meanwhile, salaries, industrial and agricultural output as well as inflation are staying within the planned range. Provisional data illustrating the performance of the national economy in 2007 will be reported to the President in view of results the Belarusian economy achieved over the first nine months of the year. Alexander Lukashenko was especially interested in the development of companies in small and medium towns. The Prime Minister said, in a month the production of lacquered tinplate will be started up in Bereza as well as a new packaging enterprise. These concrete and real projects will work for the benefit of the national economy. Sergei Sidorsky also informed the head of state about the progress in building a newsprint mill in Shklov. The start-up and commissioning is expected to end this November. In December the company will be ready to be put into operation. Thus, a new sophisticated manufacturing facility will be built in Belarus. The discussion also touched upon the national energy security programme. The head of state was told about the construction of new cogeneration plants, which use locally available fuels, in small and medium towns. Such plants have been set up in Bobruisk, Osipovichi, and Vileika. In particular, Vileika Cogeneration Plant burns wood chips, producing cheap energy. The construction of a cogeneration plant fired by local fuels is supposed to start in Pruzhany soon. All in all, ten such plants are supposed to be built by 2010. Besides, Sergei Sidorsky remarked, this year several countries experience grain shortages due to poor harvest. “The Prime Minister of Moldova contacted me to request assistance due to a poor harvest,” he said. The President instructed the government to aid Moldova with potato and grain. The Belarusian head of state was also told that a national expo of Belarus is scheduled to take place in Lithuania in early October. A Belarusian government delegation is expected to partake in the event. A similar expo is supposed to take place in Venezuela in November. The President gave instructions concerning the organisation of the expo.