17 January (BelTA) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expressed dissatisfaction with inadequate and unsatisfactory efforts to implement the government program to promote satellite towns. The head of state made this statement at a government meeting to discuss the residential construction in Minsk Oblast for Minsk city residents on 17 January.

“Back in 2008 the government was instructed to start working on the establishment and development of satellite towns of Minsk. In 2010 a government program was passed. However, the program has made little headway so far. Most of the plans stipulated by the program are still in the pipeline or have been dropped altogether,” the Belarusian President said.

An apartment building for Minskers in Smolevichi has not been delivered yet. Its construction was launched in 2012. “The necessary engineering infrastructure has not been constructed yet even for this pilot project,” the head of state said.

Alexander Lukashenko deems it necessary to elaborate a single development concept for the Minsk agglomeration that will take into consideration all the existing needs. It is also necessary to finalize the location of new residential neighborhoods in the satellite towns.

Alexander Lukashenko outlined several issues that need a special consideration. One of them is selection of land plots to be used for construction projects. “Over 50% of residential neighborhoods are to be built on farmland. I will tell you straight away that it is unacceptable. It is contrary to the concept of the rational use of farmland and the interests of the agribusiness that accounts for the bulk of Belarus’ exports,” the President said.