A. Lukashenko criticized the work of state bodies on the implementation of key socio-economic development parameters

August 27, Minsk / Vladimir Matveev - BELTA /. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko criticized the work of the government and the National Bank of Belarus on the implementation of the most important parameters of the country's socio-economic development. He stated this today during a report by the government and the National Bank on the economy and socio-economic development, according to a BELTA correspondent. In his opening remarks, the head of state noted that the issues submitted for discussion are of great importance for the country's development. "We need to consider not only the report of the government and the National Bank on the results of the past period of 2010, but also draft documents that will become the most important instruments of state policy, determining the country's development in the coming year and for the medium term," the President said, noting that it is necessary to identify the most acute problems. "The results with which we will approach the end of the five-year plan will determine how we will report to the Belarusian people on the implementation of the decisions of the Third All-Belarusian People's Congress, on the effectiveness of the measures taken by us to improve the quality of life of the population. For everything that we have promised," Alexander Lukashenko emphasized. According to the President, despite the gradual acceleration of growth rates, a number of problems have not been resolved, significantly hindering the dynamic socio-economic development of the country. "In January-July 2010, the implementation of the most important parameters for the main target indicators of the forecast was practically failed. Neither industrial production, nor agricultural production, nor investment in fixed capital, nor other key indicators have reached the planned targets," he noted. As a result, all this significantly affected the gross domestic product growth rate (107% with a forecast of 111-113%). Alexander Lukashenko also called the work of state bodies on attracting foreign direct investment to the country's economy extremely unsatisfactory. He noted the imbalance in foreign trade and low export diversification. For 6 months of the current year, the negative balance of foreign trade in goods and services amounted to $2.4 billion. In addition, the head of state once again drew attention to the problem of eliminating stocks of finished products in warehouses. "Solving this problem is not important in itself. The financial situation of the real sector of the economy depends on it," the President emphasized. Alexander Lukashenko also drew attention to the increase in overdue accounts receivable. "That is, the finished product has been shipped, but the revenue for it has not been received. Moreover, the overdue foreign debt of Russian partners exceeded the debt of Belarusian industrial enterprises by Br347 billion, or 4 times," the Belarusian leader noted. "In other words, what is happening - not Belarusian producers, but their foreign trade partners are benefiting from increased exports and warehouse clearance." The head of state stressed that the most important task should be at the center of the reports of the government and the National Bank - increasing the competitiveness of the national economy, in the solution of which innovations play a key role. Alexander Lukashenko also inquired about the situation in the country's foreign exchange market, noting the negative balance on the part of economic entities. "If earlier enterprises were the main suppliers of currency, now the situation has changed to the exact opposite," he said. The President demanded specific proposals from the government and the National Bank to solve the existing problems by the end of 2010. In addition, according to Alexander Lukashenko, today it is necessary to develop the most important instruments for implementing state policy for 2011, to consider in detail the draft forecasts of socio-economic development of the country, the budget, the main directions of monetary policy presented by the government and the National Bank, and to discuss proposals for improving taxation and the main provisions of the draft Program for Socio-Economic Development of Belarus until 2015. "No self-reports. In a businesslike manner: problems, measures, and solutions," the head of state demanded. -0-