Business news

MINSK, 17 November (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko invited Russia to participate in the privatization of Belarusian companies in exchange for Bashneft shares.

“Russians often criticize us saying that ‘Lukashenko does not want to privatize four enterprises’,” Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at the press conference for the Russian regional mass media on 17 November.

The head of state said that Russia would like Belarus to sell four major enterprises. These include a manufacturer of trailers and vehicles for the transportation of Topols, nuclear warheads, missiles. “Belarus is the only manufacturer. In the USSR, it was a powerful enterprise. We saved it and upgraded it. Russians also have their eye on the space industry enterprises. For example, Integral manufactures computing technology, integrated circuits. They also want them privatized,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The head of state pointed out that Belarus has its own interests. “You have interest in these companies; you want to buy them out. I have an interest in oil production. You supply us with 25 million tonnes which we process locally. We would like to pump some 7-8 million tonnes ourselves and deliver them to the country. When the privatization of Bashneft was announced, I sent a proposal to your government and leadership. I think that Belarusians would understand me if we gave these enterprises, on condition they operate better than today, in exchange for the Bashneft shares which were transferred or sold to Rosneft. So far there has been no answer, which means there is no interest,” the President stressed.