Members of the Council of the Republic have been elected in the Vitebsk region
Senators were elected by secret ballot, in which 621 deputies took part. The participants of the meeting listened to the programs of each candidate. All nominated candidates were supported. As a result, eight members of the Council of the Republic were elected: Head of the Main Department for Healthcare of the Regional Executive Committee Yuri Derkach, Director of the regional television and radio company "Vitebsk" Elena Pantyukhova, Rector of Vitebsk State Medical University Anatoly Shchastny, Head of the Main Department of Trade and Services of the Regional Executive Committee Irina Levkovich, Chairman of the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee Dmitry Demidov, Director of Polotsk College of Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov Tatyana Polushkina, Head of the regional directorate for the Vitebsk region of OJSC "Belagroprombank" Oleg Zhingel, General Director of the communal design, repair and construction unitary enterprise "Vitebskobldorstroy" Vladimir Matveev.
According to the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies Vladimir Terentyev, the newly elected senators represent all sectors of the national economy. "It is very important that there are many practitioners among them. These are people who have worked for a long time in industry, social and other spheres, they know life well," he emphasized in a conversation with journalists. "These are truly worthy representatives of the region who will work to improve legislation and make it better. Their competence is beyond doubt."
Announcing her program, the director of the regional television and radio company "Vitebsk" Elena Pantyukhova focused on the need to create conditions for strengthening the institution of the family, improving the demographic situation, developing children and youth, and fostering patriotism and love for their homeland. "For me, the main values are the country's independence, peace, stability, and a strong economy. I want Vitebsk region to develop, jobs to be created, and the well-being of residents to increase," she stressed.
Yury Derkach, Head of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Main Department for Healthcare, intends to focus efforts on improving the legislative framework in the healthcare sector. "It is necessary to reduce the differentiation in the standard and quality of life of the population in the regions by equalizing the levels of budget provision from the republican budget, compensating for the costs associated with differences in natural and climatic conditions and the initial levels of financial and economic potential of the regions," he is convinced.
Vladimir Matveev, head of Vitebskoblstroy, aims to address issues in the road sector. He considers the development of small towns and villages to be one of the most important tasks. "To this end, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for the education and work of rural youth, which will allow them to stay in their small homeland," he is confident.
The problems of rural areas were also touched upon by Irina Levkovich, Head of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Main Department for Trade and Services. In her opinion, the issues of trade services for villagers require special attention. "The specifics of our region lie in the large number of small settlements. Due to objective demographic reasons, trade activities in villages have become practically unprofitable and require immediate intervention," she noted. Irina Levkovich sees one of the solutions to the problem in developing specific mechanisms for public-private partnership.
Tatyana Polushkina, Director of the Polotsk College of Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov, intends to make every effort to ensure that draft laws are considered constructively and bring real benefits to citizens. Oleg Zingel, Head of the Vitebsk Regional Directorate of OJSC "Belagroprombank," noted the need for further support and development of enterprises in the agro-industrial complex and the attraction of new technologies to the agricultural sector. Dmitry Demidov, Chairman of the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee, and Anatoly Shchastny, Rector of Vitebsk State Medical University, focused on specific projects that will benefit the entire state.
Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev, addressing the newly elected senators, recalled the importance of active work. "You were elected because you are the best of the best. We expect active manifestations from you not only in approving laws, which you will work on in the relevant commissions, but also in improving the lives of our people as a whole, our Vitebsk region. And in order to work fruitfully, you need to meet with people as often as possible. That's where the problems are, that's where the tasks will be set," the governor emphasized.
The CEC will summarize the election results on November 12.