Working trip to Mozyr District, Gomel Oblast

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has kicked off his major working trip to Gomel Oblast. Regional development is the key theme of the head of state's visit to the country's south.

The first stop is Mozyr District. Upon arrival in Mozyr District, the head of state immediately pointed to the situation in forestry and agriculture.

"I have just been looking at the forest that you have cut down according to plan. The furrows are there… So, the forest is being replanted, am I right?" the Belarusian leader asked and received an affirmative answer.

Speaking about the situation in the fields, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that there are no problems in this regard in Gomel Oblast. "The fields, of course, are in order here. Pretty good," he added.

As for livestock farming, the situation is far worse, as the head of state pointed out to Gomel Oblast Governor Ivan Krupko using inspection materials.

"This is terrible. I understand that they highlight the negative [in the inspection materials]. But this is more than a criminal offense," the President reacted to the most shocking facts.

"There must be iron discipline if we want to survive. Gomel Oblast residents, of all people, do not need to have this explained: just look to the south and you will understand [referring to the armed conflict in Ukraine]," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed to the need for a reasonable and responsible attitude toward reclaimed land.

The head of state noted that the reclamation process should be managed by regional governors. Not only the process itself is important, but also the appropriate attitude toward already reclaimed land. Their transfer to farms must be documented in the relevant documents.

"We've carried out reclamation somewhere, but two or three years later, the canals are overgrown again," said Aleksandr Lukashenko. "You've buried a considerable amount of money there. So now a prosecutor will come and ask: did you sign the transfer certificate?"

"Everything must be transferred from the reclamation workers to the farm by means of a transfer certificate. You take this reclaimed field, and millions of [Belarusian] rubles have been invested in it. Once it is handed over by an act, you take the responsibility [for the condition of the reclaimed field]," the President emphasized.

The Belarusian leader called maintaining soil fertility a state task, on par with, for example, road construction. He added that reclamation takes on particular importance in the south of Belarus. "In Polesie, this is a number one issue," he said.

leksandr Lukashenko spoke about the importance of dairy complexes for agriculture during his working trip to Mozyr District.

"What is a commercial dairy complex? When we turn these run-down lands into farms, the whole area is immediately transformed (even in Polesie, where you have swamps, forests, sands). We need to move in this direction," the Belarusian leader said.

The head of state noted that such a complex requires the development of a solid forage base - the rational use of fertile lands for growing grain and fodder crops.

"Feed is needed to maintain the complex. Of course, it won't take off right away. It takes time, but we need to move in this direction," the President stressed.

Visiting the Mozyrtekhservice enterprise, the Belarusian leader pointed to the need to restore agricultural machinery repairs centers. The statement refers to organizations engaged in technical maintenance, repairs, equipment installation, as well as supplying agricultural enterprises with machinery and spare parts.

"We must restore agricultural machinery repair centers at all costs. We need to work and restore them in every district," Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

The head of state noted that a significant number of agricultural enterprises need assistance with equipment repairs. This is due not only to the increasing complexity of machinery but also to staffing issues. "Those people, those gray-haired old men, are no longer around. Maybe somewhere they still exist. We need to ask them to come, to help, to advise, to support the repair mechanics," he stated. "What is important now is to seize this moment so that the older generation can teach the young, so that this knowledge can be passed on."

At the same time, the President emphasized that these equipment repair organizations do not necessarily need to be as large-scale as Mozyrtekhservice, which the head of state compared to a full-fledged plant.

"As I am being informed, Mozyr [referring to the Mozyrtekhservice enterprise] operates like a plant in certain areas, serving many districts. But Ivan Ivanovich [Gomel Oblast Governor Ivan Krupko] has many problems in other districts, so we need to restore these services," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The head of state noted that such organizations (formerly known as agricultural machinery repair centers, now referred to as district agroservice centers) could provide repair assistance not only to agricultural organizations but also to ordinary people.