Caring for veterans is a priority task for the authorities - A. Kosinets

May 7, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Caring for veterans is a priority task for the authorities, said Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Kosinets today at a celebratory reception on the occasion of Victory Day, a BELTA correspondent reports. Honoring the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, Alexander Kosinets emphasized that Victory Day is a significant date for the Belarusian people. The victory was achieved at a high price: every third native of the Dvina region died before it. "The combat path of each of you developed differently. This is evidenced by the current composition of participants in our meeting, including front-line soldiers, partisans, and underground fighters. One thing unites you all: the greatest title - Winners," said the chairman of the regional executive committee. There are 4,420 Great Patriotic War veterans living in the Vitebsk region. "The authorities have done and will do everything necessary to surround everyone with care, attention, and provide all possible assistance in all areas, because you make a colossal contribution to the military-patriotic education of youth, play a huge role in the creative process, and are the core and cementing force of our society," said the head of the region. He specifically emphasized that the feat of the veterans made it possible to live in a free country, create, build, and develop it for future generations. According to the results of the first quarter of 2012, the Vitebsk region holds leading positions among the regions of the republic in terms of growth rates of gross regional product, industrial production, retail trade, investment in fixed assets, export of goods and services, foreign trade balance of goods excluding oil and petroleum products, the share of innovative products in the total volume of shipped goods, and the target indicator for energy saving. For the main indicator of work efficiency - gross regional product - a growth rate of 121.2% was ensured compared to January-March 2011, and for gross agricultural output - 104.9%. In three months of the current year, 118.8 thousand square meters of housing were commissioned. The region annually conducts surveys of veterans' living conditions. In 2011, 1113 war veterans received assistance in repairing residential premises, stoves, and electrical wiring. Br222.3 million was allocated for these purposes. In the first quarter of 2012, 14 veterans were helped with repairs. In addition, in 2011, the housing conditions of eight veterans were improved. Various types of social, domestic, and psychological assistance are provided to this category of citizens through territorial centers for social services for the population, which are open in all 27 administrative districts of the region. -0-