Business news

27 Aug 2021

Lukashenko pledges support for Polesie region

PETRIKOV DISTRICT, 27 August (BelTA) – It is necessary to promote the Polesie region, and the launch of the new potash production will be highly instrumental for this, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he toured Petrikov Mining and Processing Plant of the Belaruskali potash producer on 27 August, BelTA has learned.

“We should support Polesie, the area from Mozyr to Pinsk. And we will succeed,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

Aleksandr Lukashenko deems it necessary to keep promoting this territory. Although this region gets enough attention, the head of state noted that additional measures could be taken. As to Petrikov District, Belaruskali should also be interested in developing the district and creating comfortable living conditions for its employees. “Ivan [Belaruskali Director General Ivan Golovaty], we might need to help them here, although Belaruskali has enough problems of its own. You need to give them at least half a million dollars a year during the first two years and a million dollars in the third, fourth, and fifth years. However, this assistance should not come in the form of cash. You are an experienced person who has traveled around the world. You should meet with the chairman of the local executive committee and discuss what can be done to make this district a better place,” the president said.

“This territory needs to be developed. We have not ignored locals, but we have not made them particularly rich either. We should support Polesie, the area from Mozyr to Pinsk. And we will succeed. Petrikov has good prospects. Zhitkovichi is a tidy and neat town, we brought it into shape a long time ago, but, of course, we need to come to grips with issues in agricultural production there. Turov and the area around it are in good order too. Petrikov, Zhitkovichi - these places should be put in order,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko was informed about development prospects for Belaruskali and Petrikov Mining and Processing Plant in particular, the social and housing construction programs. Several apartment buildings have bee built for employees of the enterprise. A kindergarten has been commissioned too. Money has been allocated to upgrade the maternity hospital. A decision has been taken to allocate a land plot to build a sports center with a swimming pool.

The head of state inquired about the personnel issues. The president was assured that they are being resolved. Currently, the plant in Petrikov employs about 850 people. As it reaches its design capacity, the number of personnel will grow to 1,200-1,300. “We have people from almost all regions of Belarus. Today we are running a training program for young people. The courses and programs have been launched at vocational colleges in Gomel Oblast. Schools in Soligorsk and Belarusian National Technical University in Minsk train personnel for us. Thanks to the regional and local social programs, people happily take up jobs here. The average age of employees at the plant today is 33 years," said Ivan Golovaty.

The Petrikov town development program was also on the agenda. During a recent visit to Minsk Oblast, the head of state spoke about the need to tidy up the land, to involve the unused objects and territories into economic use. He said that these issues should be constantly on the radar. "We should keep the country clean, so that the next generations will not have to sort out our mess," the Belarusian leader emphasized. "We build new modern enterprises like Petrikov plant and we should not ignore things around it,” he added.