Business news

MINSK, 26 January (BelTA) – It is necessary to resolve the problem of middlemen in pharmaceutical industry and other areas once and for all. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the statement as he visited the pharmaceutical company Minskintercaps on 26 January, BelTA has learned.

“It is true for the entire country. Middlemen drain us dry,” stressed the head of state. “Let’s resolve this problem. Not only the pharmaceutical industry is affected. I’ve talked about the problem of middlemen many times.”

The president pointed out that the middlemen’s profit margin can go as high as half the price of a product. “It drives up prices. Why can’t we resolve the problem? It is a number one issue,” stressed the Belarusian leader.

Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that he had been ready to ban all kinds of brokerage in the past. “Ask [Belarusian Interior Minister Igor] Shunevich or [Chairman of the State Security Committee Valery] Vakulchik. They will tell you what the root of all problems is. Middlemen are the problem. They pay one ruble and earn ten rubles by reselling,” noted the head of state.

“If we are to allow some brokerage, then a minister or an oblast governor should sign off on it,” said Alexander Lukashenko. If law enforcement and oversight agencies have questions to ask later on, these civil servants will face responsibility for this decision, stressed the president.

“We lose colossal amounts of money. Corruption is rampant right here. This is where money for giving bribes and the rest comes from,” the president is convinced.

Yet Alexander Lukashenko noted that middlemen are vital in some cases but high-ranking officials should be the ones to decide where and when.

The head of state added that resolving this problem is particularly important in view of the tough fight for markets and price-based competition on the international market.