News & Events in Belarus
Lukashenko sets key tasks for local authorities
MINSK, 13 June (BelTA) - When making personnel decisions on 13 June, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined the key tasks for the local vertical, including outreach activities, harvest season and election campaigns, BelTA has learned.
Focus on personnel and chance for everyone
“As usual, I ask you to decide on the personnel you are going to work with,” the head of state said. According to him, building personnel takes time by studying personnel potential, and making sure to give a chance to everyone who holds current positions. “Take a look at who you are going to work with, starting from all your departments of culture, education, economy, industry, agriculture up to your deputies. I always say that everyone deserves a chance,” the president emphasized.
The tasks that the local authorities face and the requirements of the head of state to them are well known. Aleksandr Lukashenko expects the new appointees to show more responsibility and initiative. “You know my assessment of the work of the chairpersons of district executive committees and heads of city administrations: you do not do enough out for various reasons, it sometimes goes beyond your control. Governors have too many worries, do not give the opportunity to show the potential and work more freely. However, in Gomel, Vitebsk, Mogilev, our eastern regions we have a huge field for activity. No one will interfere with your work. The main thing is a result,” the president said.
“That is why I guide you and always say: you are the presidents on your own territory. You should organize the process. You should monitor all the work,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. The head of state paid special attention to human rights. “We do not have any ombudsmen. The president and you, my people on the ground, deal with human rights. We should not create excessive tension in society. There should be no law violation, either,” the president said.
Flawless organization of elections
The election campaign will soon become an important and responsible area of work for the local authorities. “We have already entered the election period,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. Earlier this week the topic was discussed during the meeting of the president with Chairman of the Central Election Commission Igor Karpenko. It was stated that the upcoming presidential election will be held in accordance with the current electoral legislation. It has already been tested on the single voting day and showed that no radical changes are required. “There is no need to expect something new. You were all participants of these elections [the single voting day],” the president said.
The president called the CEC and local authorities to ensure a flawless organization of the election. As I said, we must not offend people. Everything should be done impeccably, beautifully, in the interests of our state,” the Belarusian leader said. In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned the “elections” recently held by the self-exiled opposition. According to the president, they “simply made fools of themselves”: only 6,000 people out of almost 7 million cast votes in their “elections”. “Even the diasporas decided not to vote,” the head of state said. “They do not believe in themselves any longer.”
“We spoke openly about where this would lead. Why did they hold these elections? They need money to exist,” the president explained. After such an absolutely failed organization of the process, any reproaches from the self-exiled opposition or their handlers to the Belarusian authorities are completely inappropriate. “It is not for them to reproach us. I have always said that we hold elections for ourselves. Do not look around. Everything they have taught us all these years after the collapse of the Soviet Union is to keep us at hand and in subordination [a non-self-sufficient, easily manageable state]. Any disabodience means no more money or, what is worse, destruction,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
Those who have fled the country and speak against it while being abroad are supported by Americans and some representatives of the European Union, the president emphasized. “They are even preparing armed provocations against us. No worries here. We can cope with them,” the Belarusian leader said.
In this regard, the head of state reiterated the need to focus on outreach activities, communication with labor collectives, and explanation of the situation. “Your task is to work with people,” the president addressed the representatives of the local authorities. “You must first of all get familiar with all labor collectives so that specialists in agriculture, collective and state farms and urban enterprises know who you are and what you need to do. Go communicate with the people.”
Harvest season
The traditional demand of the head of state to the local authorities is to keep agriculture in focus, paying the closest attention to it. “This is your sphere of work,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
According to the president, many crops look pretty good this season. The task is to preserve and carefully harvest them. “This year’s harvest looks good. God is helping us this year. I think we will be able to get a good harvest if you do everything necessary for it,” the head of state said. The regions are currently busy with preparing fodder, and then it will be time for the harvesting campaign itself. The regions need to start preparing for it today, especially with regard to machinery, harvesters and specialists. “Take a look around to see what you may lack,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Discuss these issues with governors, mayors, attract specialists from cities. We should be getting ready for the harvest season already today.”
The president promised serious control over the situation in agriculture. There is every reason for this. “We must not lose our harvest. If we have a good harvest, some extra tonnes, we have somewhere to stock this reserve,” the head of state said.
“I emphasize it once again: your district, your area is your zone of responsibility. The responsibility is on you. Involve law enforcement agencies, government bodies, prosecutor's office and so on. They should work with you as one. You, chairpersons of district executive committees, are the first persons in your districts,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
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