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Lukashenko pledges support for Neman Glassworks

LIDA DISTRICT, 17 April (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko promised support for Neman Glassworks and announced expansion plans as he talked to the staff of the company on 17 April, BelTA has learned.

“It is great that you are working here. You have good prospects,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

The president noted that the company started manufacturing fiberglass that is in great demand on the market, it is an import-substituting product. “Therefore, I took a decision to build another shop floor here. We will find money for that. Most importantly, the product you will make here is in demand not only on the domestic market, but also abroad,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

He promised to consider allowing the company to defer debt payments. “As for your debts, I will study the draft decree (it is on my table) to see how long of a deferral you will need to pay your debts to the state. You know that we need to give money to healthcare workers and others and to buy medicines. All this money will be taken from the budget. In order to give you a deferral, we need to take money from someone else to make up for what you have taken. We will support you, but keep in mind that you will have to work hard,” he said.

The president was briefed about the company’s operation, its challenges and prospects. Thanks to the launch of the fiberglass production, the company managed to increase output and penetrate new markets.

“The product is recognizable and is in demand. At present there are some issues but we will resolve them,” company chief Yuri Kislyak said.

In his words, crystal is also in demand, after all Neman Glassworks is now the biggest crystal manufacturer in Europe and in the post-Soviet space.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the decision to bail out the company taken some years ago turned out to be right. “The company’s team is unique. These people can do all this. The crystal is amazing,” the Belarusian leader said. He noted that even Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev uses special crystal tea glasses made by this company.

At the same time, the company’s executives and officials in charge got their share of criticism from the head of state. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that in the run-up to his visit, the premises of the company were cleared from faulty products that stayed there for years. This was obviously done to hide them from the head of state. “They started removing this spoilage that lay there for three  years. I know that. There is a task for them to accomplish by 1 September. They said that they will grind and sell all of it,” the president said addressing the company’s personnel.

Before leaving the company, Aleksandr Lukashenko urged again to get down to building a new fiberglass shop floor as soon as possible. It will open up great opportunities not only for the company, but also for local construction workers.

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