A. Lukashenko notes the stabilization of the economic and financial situation in Belarus

May 17, Minsk /BELTA/. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko notes the stabilization of the economic and financial situation in Belarus. He stated this on May 17, while receiving a report from the Prime Minister of the country Mikhail Myasnikovich, BELTA was informed by the press service of the head of state. "First of all, I would like to hear from the government (we used to discuss this issue with the Chairman of the Board of the National Bank) how the issues that concern the population are being resolved and will be resolved. The economy and finances are stabilized today. We have achieved what we wanted in foreign trade as well. I think you already have accurate data for the first quarter, and we should think about how our people will feel the stabilization of the economy. I mean not only pricing, but we need to look more seriously at important things: housing construction, credit resources, their cost, and so on," said the head of state. Alexander Lukashenko also touched upon issues related to the upcoming visit of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to Belarus. "We have agreed with the President of the Russian Federation that he will make his first visit to Belarus on May 31. Therefore, we need to prepare in all areas, and not only in terms of cooperation with the Russian Federation. We need new directions, new proposals that will allow us to build our policy for the long term. Therefore, we need to look from the perspective of economics and politics. Let there be 3-5 issues that we will work on and that we can offer for the attention and consideration of the Russian Federation," the President noted. Another topic that Alexander Lukashenko focused on was the implementation of state programs. The head of state was interested in how the construction of the most significant facilities is progressing, and what steps are being taken to develop cotton, flax, and worsted enterprises. "We really need to make a breakthrough in these areas, and then we can say that our light industry, figuratively speaking, has come to life," the President believes. The head of state was informed about the current economic situation, its performance results for 4 months, problematic enterprises for which the President had specific instructions, and ways to resolve them. As the Prime Minister reported, the first four months of the economy's operation show positive results. The extensive work carried out on the instructions of the head of state on import substitution is also yielding good results, primarily in terms of increasing the positive balance of trade. Regarding housing policy, a nationwide discussion of the further development strategy in this area in Belarus has been proposed. According to the Prime Minister, over 200 different proposals have been received, most of which are aimed at expanding benefits for housing construction. The President instructed to consider these issues in the government by the end of May and report them for a subsequent meeting with the head of state and final decision-making. In addition, the head of state was thoroughly informed about the construction and modernization of dairy farms. The government, using, among other things, the capabilities of the Development Bank, has found an additional Br1.2 trillion in preferential credit resources on top of Br2.1 trillion, which are allocated for the financing of construction and modernization of dairy farms. The President strictly demanded order and systematic work on the modernization of dairy farms, so that reports on previously built facilities are not presented under the guise of modernization reports. At the same time, modernization should include the entire complex of works, affecting both the material and technical base, and the implementation and adherence to modern technologies for the proper operation of these farms in the future. The issue of implementing investment projects in Belarus was also touched upon separately. According to the Prime Minister, many interesting proposals from Turkish business circles are currently being considered. They show increased interest in the construction of a number of facilities in Belarus, both in the hospitality sector and social services, as well as in the construction of sports and industrial facilities. The President was informed about the implementation of investment projects at problematic enterprises, particularly in the light industry. Currently, work on the credit agreement for OJSC "Kamvol" has been practically completed. Its terms are quite favorable for the Belarusian side. The loan amount will be 136 million euros, which will allow not only to overhaul and modernize this enterprise but also to significantly increase production volumes. For example, it is planned to produce up to 4 million linear meters of fabric per year, which will significantly exceed the enterprise's current capabilities. The next facility for modernization with investment attraction will be the Baranovichi Cotton Production Association. The supervision of this enterprise, as well as other problematic facilities, is carried out by the leadership of the Council of Ministers and ministers by the President's decision. -0-