Government changed its mind on selling cement plants. :: Charter'97 :: News

The Government of Belarus foresees to borrow the credit resources amounting to USD 600 million for implementation of the project on re-equipment of three cement plants. That was reported to the president by the prime- minister Syargei Sydorsky when making a presentation of the program of the cement industry development for 2007-2011 aimed at 3 times increase of the cement output in the country.

According to the president’s press service, it is envisaged that due to implementation of the construction programs Belarus is to consume around 5 billion tons of cement by 2011 and to export approximately the same amount. Among this product’s potential customers are Russia and Poland which at present are consuming more cement than it is produced in the countries.

The government considers that it is essential to perform a large-scale reconstruction of the plants independently. According to the prime minister, this year over 10 foreign investors expressed their eagerness to participate in this large-scale project. But, as Sydorsky stressed, they proposed not the most beneficial for Belarus versions of cooperation.

It has been envisaged to install the Chinese-made equipment at the plants. USD 600 million borrowed funds are to be invested into modernization of the plants. The borrowings are to be made in February 2008.

According to the press-service of the head of the state, Alyaksandr Lukashenka and the meeting participants supported the project in general .They also consider it reasonable for the state to deal with the cement plants re-equipment independently .The president ordered to accelerate the project development for providing Belarus with three modern cement plants by2011.”The terms must be maximally short”.

Lukashenka demanded decreasing of power consumption in the course of reconstruction (at present the share of energy resources in the cement cost accounts for 40%) through introduction of energy saving technologies, overcoming of the gas dependence and turning to coal.