Small and medium-sized businesses make a tangible contribution to the formation of the regional budget
Small and medium-sized businesses provide employment and make a tangible contribution to the formation of the regional budget. This was noted today by Oleg Matskevich, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, at the summing up of the "Best Entrepreneur of 2012" competition, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
Oleg Matskevich emphasized that the activities of small businesses cover 23 sectors of the national economy (a third of small and medium-sized organizations are in trade, 14% are in manufacturing, 9% in construction, and 8% in agriculture).
"Business is actively developing in the regions. More than 5,000 individual entrepreneurs and 1,500 legal entities are registered in small, medium-sized urban and rural settlements. Small businesses are mobile and respond flexibly to market needs. In 2012, 18 enterprises focused on the production of consumer goods were created in the region, producing goods worth Br9 billion and creating 174 jobs. Of the 240 service sector facilities created last year, 196 organizations (more than 80%) were opened by entrepreneurs," said Oleg Matskevich.
He also noted that, in general, small and medium-sized businesses account for 14% of the total production volume and more than half of new jobs. "Small businesses are most active in creating high-tech industries, updating the active part of equipment, and introducing the latest technologies, which contributes to the development of innovative activities. The share of shipped innovative products increased from 9% in 2010 to 27% last year. Organizations such as 'Verkhniy Lug' (production of elite cheeses), 'DokaFerumMaster' (production of metal products), 'Microbiotiki' (production of veterinary drugs), and others have made a significant contribution to the development of innovative activities," reported the deputy chairman of the executive committee.
Oleg Matskevich noted that recently there has been an increase in the investment activity of commercial enterprises. They attracted over Br3 trillion in investments in fixed capital, or a quarter of the total investment volume in the region. Export supplies are also growing. In 2012, business entities exported goods worth more than $2 billion, or 61% of the total exports for the region. The foreign trade balance was $1.3 billion, which is 3 times more than in 2011.
The Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee emphasized that the provisions of Directive No. 4 "On the Development of Entrepreneurial Initiative and Stimulation of Business Activity in the Republic of Belarus" are being implemented in practice in the region. Work is constantly underway to simplify administrative procedures for legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. Within the framework of Decree No. 6, 136 business entities were exempted from import customs duties. They imported almost 300 units of various equipment worth $4.5 million into the region. In total, Br2.7 billion was allocated from the regional budget to support small and medium-sized businesses last year.
"The Regional Executive Committee will continue to guarantee assistance and support for the most promising business areas. First of all, for enterprises that are focused on producing innovative, export-oriented, and import-substituting products," Oleg Matskevich assured. He expressed hope that in the implementation of the planned measures, the authorities and private business will find mutual understanding, and the entrepreneurial sector will become an important factor in the region's economic growth and improvement of people's quality of life.
Ten business entities became winners of the "Best Entrepreneur of the Vitebsk Region 2012" competition.
Currently, more than 150,000 people are employed in small and medium-sized businesses in the region, or 27% of those employed in the national economy. There are 26,000 individual entrepreneurs and more than 9,000 business enterprises operating.