Head of the Presidential Administration Natalya Kochanova held a reception of citizens in Kopyś

The answers to these questions were received by the Head of the Belarus President Administration, Natalya Kochanova, during an on-site reception of citizens in the village of Kopys.

The Head of Administration spoke about the socio-economic situation in the country as a whole, about the tasks set by the President for the government and local authorities, and about plans for the development of small regions. She emphasized that much is being done and will continue to be done to give them new impetus.

– It is necessary that enterprises do not shrink, but work and develop, – noted Natalya Kochanova. – Then people will have employment and wages, and consequently, confidence in the future. We strive to make life comfortable for people and enable them to work and raise children in normal conditions.

The director of the enterprise "Institute Vitebskgrazhdanproekt" Natalya Kosabuko also spoke to those present. She recalled that in January, a public discussion of the master plan – a 30-year development program for the urban-type settlement (3rd stage) – took place.

Priority attention is given to city-forming enterprises. This includes the cheese factory workshop with a site for its development and the building materials plant, where the implementation of planned projects is actively underway. The master plan also provides for the creation of sites for the development of small and medium-sized businesses in Kopys, which is extremely important for such settlements.

During a live dialogue with the Head of Administration, the issue of distrust of rural residents towards local authorities was raised. The topic of de-bureaucratization of the apparatus of the Orsha District Executive Committee was touched upon by a pensioner, a native resident of the village, Viktor Nezderov. He complained about the "office" style of work of many officials who prefer to make decisions without an objective analysis of the real situation on the ground, while creating a semblance of activity.

As an example, he cited an appeal to the district executive committee regarding the installation of an ATM in Kopyś, which should be accessible to people 24 hours a day, rather than being located inside a bank building with corresponding operating hours. People also spoke about the need to build housing for teachers and medical workers, equip sports grounds for children, the poor quality installation of fences along streets, and low purchase prices for agricultural products.

The meager assortment of the local store No. 26 "Products" was also discussed. In particular, attention was drawn to Natalia Kochanova regarding the low salary of the saleswoman (135 rubles), who commutes to work daily from Orsha and, despite this, there are no complaints about her – only gratitude.

Natalia Ivanovna promised to address all issues in the near future. She visited a number of social sphere facilities in the settlement to assess the scale of the work done and existing problems.

– Today I saw that people have a positive attitude towards what the state is doing for them, – Natalia Kochanova told reporters. – She added that no matter what region she visits, each has its own peculiarities. But the main three issues that the government pays the closest attention to are employment, wages, and prices.

– The fact that I heard complaints about the work of local authorities is bad, – noted the Head of Administration. – This kind of attitude towards people should not be. We need to meet and talk with people as often as possible. And treat them as you would your loved ones. The President demands this from us – an honest and fair attitude towards people. If people turn to higher organizations, it means that the authorities at the local level are not working satisfactorily, and the explanatory work, particularly through the media, is lagging. But everything is simple: explain openly, honestly, accessibly, and people will believe.

Natalia Ivanovna said that last year the Administration received 24,000 appeals. This year, there is a trend towards an increase.

– People write in the hope that the President will hear them. Therefore, our task is not to pass the buck to ministries and departments, but to deal with issues ourselves, on the ground. For this purpose, we hold on-site receptions and see how regional authorities work, -- emphasized the Head of Administration.

Natalia Kochanova expressed hope that the new chairman of the district executive committee will establish proper order in the district.

Olga LEBEDEVA, photos by the author. "Vitebskiye vesti".