The living standards of the Belarusian people should approach the European average by 2016 - A. Lukashenko

January 27, Minsk /Corr. BELTA/. The gross domestic product per capita and the living standards of the Belarusian people should approach the European average by 2016. This was stated today by the head of state Alexander Lukashenko, speaking at a meeting of the seventh extraordinary session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly while presenting the Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich, according to a BELTA correspondent. The President is convinced that to achieve the set goals, it is primarily necessary to give a new quality to the work of the government as an economic headquarters. "It is very important that the Council of Ministers becomes a truly collegial management body. There is no need to "hover" over the ministers and constantly push them. At the current stage, all responsibility for the state of the economy and the social sphere should be transferred to ministers, heads of enterprises, governors, and chairpersons of district executive committees," Alexander Lukashenko emphasized. It is at these levels, according to him, that key decisions should be made, and initiative should be developed there. The Prime Minister should primarily control the implementation of strategic tasks defined in the program of socio-economic development of Belarus for the five-year period. "Mikhail Vladimirovich should organize the work of the Council of Ministers in such a way that disputes and discussions take place only until decisions are made. Further – unconditional execution, without unnecessary fuss and verbosity. The requirement for executive discipline has not been canceled by anyone," the head of state said. Alexander Lukashenko believes that a close interaction with all branches of government, including the National Assembly, should be an obligatory element of the new government's work style. "We need to work more actively on improving legislation, taking into account the modern requirements for economic liberalization," the President said. -0-