Lukashenka against selling Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant to foreign investors

Lukashenka opposes the sale of Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant to foreign investors and believes that the matter needs a serious consideration.

He made this statement as he presented the State Prize 2012 to the company’s engineers on 6 December.

“Indeed, we have done a lot for this plant, so I would like to see it flourishing. I am surprised by the zeal (of the plant or the government, I do not know) to sell the company. Of course, I strongly oppose it,” the head of state said.

Addressing the laureates of the State Prize, he noted: Are you sure you will keep up with global trends and will not be outstripped by those to whom you supply your products today. I mean Russia and China where your products sell well. If we stay competitive, there will be no need to sell the company. We should rather sell the company’s products, which are of a pretty good quality.

“Think about it again. Some of you say: our task is to produce and it is none of our business who will sell or privatize the company. It is not true. The labor collective should be the first to decide – to sell the plant partially or entirely, or not to sell it at all. The President will be the last to put ink on it,” Lukashenka said.

“Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant is a very promising enterprise. If we decide to sell it, we will not sell it to the consumers (of the plant’s products – BelTA’s note),” the head of state added.

The company’s employees – Andrei Golovach, Yuri Nikolayev and Yevgenia Gorko – became laureates of the State Prize in Science and Technology. They designed and introduced into mass production fourth-generation truck tractors and chassis.