MINSK, 25 September (BelTA) – Having reviewed personnel matters on 25 September, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko appointed Yuri Gorlov as Aide to the President - Inspector for Gomel Oblast, BelTA reports.

Before this appointment, Yuri Gorlov was chairman of the Molodechno District Executive Committee. Therefore, Aleksandr Lukashenko asked him about the state of affairs in Molodechno District.

“The situation is stable; in the first half of the year, and over the seven months of this year all key socio-economic development targets were on track to be met,” Yuri Gorlov reported.

The president asked what Molodechno's most struggling enterprise was. It was a metal structures plant. The enterprise does not have the necessary workload, and this issue was addressed at various levels, a number of instructions were given, including by the prime minister.

“Molodechno District and Minsk Oblast cannot provide enough orders [to keep the company busy]. A proposal was put forward to use the company's products in the manufacturing industry of the republic,” Yuri Gorlov explained.

At the same time, he noted that there are other enterprises in the country that produce similar products. Therefore, the company is looking for orders abroad, and is currently working on a project with Russian partners. “I think that this year already we will start producing experimental samples of containers for transporting LNG (liquefied natural gas). If the project takes off, the enterprise will operate at 60-70% of its capacity. We will pull off. We already have samples,” he said.

“If you make them, they will order them from you. In fact, they have a huge demand for this product over there. You just need to offer a good product,” the president emphasized.

“This product can be used not only [for transportation] by rail. It can also be used in sea vessels,” Yuri Gorlov clarified.

“Even better!” noted the head of state.

Yuri Gorlov continued: “We have teamed up with partners from Leningrad Oblast and St. Petersburg. We are working together. They are responsive, they meet us halfway. I have recently had a personal meeting with them. We are negotiating this issue.”

At the end of the conversation, Aleksandr Lukashenko instructed Yuri Gorlov to keep an eye on these issues while working in his new capacity and report to the president about the progress: “This year will pass, the next one will begin - tell the government that you have this matter under control. Keep me updated. No other company in the country can do what the Molodechno enterprise did and can do with metal structures. This is a solid enterprise. Make sure it can meet the country's needs for these products fully. We must proceed from this. It is rather narrow minded to think that a company located in Molodechno cannot extend its reach to Minsk Oblast and further.”

BelTA – News from Belarus