The growth rate of industrial production in the Vitebsk region for 9 months will be 111%

September 30, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The growth rate of industrial production in the Vitebsk region for the first nine months of this year, according to preliminary data, will be 111% compared to January-September 2008. This was announced by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Kosinets today at a press conference with the participation of representatives of the Russian media, a BELTA correspondent reports. As expected, the volume of consumer goods production increased by 6%, and trade turnover - by 3%. The volume of investments exceeded last year's figure for January-September by 18%. 354 thousand sq.m. of housing were commissioned in the region. 564 thousand employable people are employed in the region's economy, and by the end of this year, this figure will increase to 570 thousand people. As the chairman of the regional executive committee emphasized, such results in the context of the economic crisis were achieved thanks to the fact that clear priorities in the development of the economy and social sphere have been defined in the republic. Programs for the revival and development of rural areas, small towns, investment and innovation programs are being implemented. And Professor of Medicine Alexander Kosinets considers the demographic security program to be one of the fundamental ones. Largely thanks to it, it was possible to reduce mortality and increase the birth rate, which will be a guarantee of further economic growth, he is convinced. About 90 Russian journalists - representatives of regional and federal media arrived in the Vitebsk region and are getting acquainted with the region. Today they visited the Rudakovo joint-stock company and, using its example, learned about the development of the agro-industrial complex of the republic and saw the sights of Vitebsk. Tomorrow, the Russians will visit the historical places of Polotsk and will visit the Naftan OJSC. -0-