Lukashenka about working out resolution #991: I have nobody to call to task!

• 7.08.2009, 9:02

The Belarusian ruler said that the document had been worked out by a top “official” at the prime minister’s bidding.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka expressed his position towards the resolution on a meeting on activity of procuracy on August 6.

“For example, resolution #991 has been recently issued ...> that banned economic agents to trade. Let the head decided himself how he should act, but you must turn attention to income and profitability!” Lukashenka said. “Why ordering someone whom companies should trade with and whether they should use intermediate dealers? We began to find out who had worked out the resolution. It turned out that it was done by an official on the prime minister’s bidding. He prepared this document, threw it on the table, and went on holidays. I have nobody to call to task!”

“Commercial agency is bad, we must avoid it,” Lukashenka went on. “But what is the purpose? The purpose is lower prices and good quality. Why did you throw the country into turmoil? It an affair of private traders what and where to buy, they understand that that’s their money; they will never buy goods at high prices but with worse quality. So, the problem is in state-owned companies. Let’s set tasks and then check in a month, the guilty will be punished. That’s all, no turmoil is needed. Otherwise questions arise: where is the economic liberalization we are speaking about, where is independence of directors, when we order them what to buy. Let them decide this themselves, but our task is to give a legal estimation to those responsible for producing. This is how we should work, but not launch war in the country.”

Resolution #991 was adopted on July 28 and annulled on August 4 after interference of Lukashenka. The document, called an “anti-crisis measure” by minister of economy Mikalai Zaichanka, aroused an extremely negative reaction of the business environment.