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Lukashenko to investors: Don’t treat Belarus like a banana republic

MINSK, 22 June (BelTA) – Investors should not approach Belarus like a banana republic. They should treat Belarus like a normal, high-tech and highly developed country. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during the government conference with top Council of Ministers officials on 22 June, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “In the current geopolitical circumstances it is difficult to expect the arrival of Western investors in the Belarusian economy. Let’s focus on other ones: eastern, Asian, African investors and so on. Well, we should also welcome Western investors instead of rejecting their offers right away.”

The president reminded about an important rule: social responsibility should be the foundation of any project. It should be manifested in the form of meaningful employment, decent salaries, an extensive social package, and naturally the payment of taxes.

“Instead of coming here as they said in the past and squeezing everything out of the people, squeezing everything they can and paying peanuts to workers, let’s say, $500 while not paying taxes at all. While taking most of the profits in the form of dividends to unfriendly countries. I don’t think we need such projects,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. “They should not approach Belarus like a banana republic. They should treat Belarus like a normal, high-tech and highly developed country. And we should primarily work with our own investors.”

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