The head of state said he wanted an objective evaluation of the situation and a clear-cut action plan to accelerate the Park’s construction. Alexander Lukashenko remarked that the large-scale project is of special importance. It is a momentous example of Belarus-China strategic cooperation and an important incentive for the development of the economy.

According to the President, the implementation of the project will open up prospects for assimilating high technologies as well as cutting-edge international practices in doing business, management, construction, and the management of industrial enterprises. The amount of work and capital investments are huge. In essence a new city will be created near Minsk, an independent territorial and economic unit will be created. It will be home to innovative, export-oriented enterprises and will offer comfortable living standards, too.

The President underlined that with the relevant decree the project had been granted preferential taxation terms to survive competition both in the Customs Union and the European Union. “A special public private mechanism to manage the park has been created, the relevant organizational structures have been set up,” noted Alexander Lukashenko.

Yet the head of state was displeased with the Park’s construction progress. He was concerned with the fact that the process is too slow, that it is short of being stuck despite its massive importance for the state. According to the President, it represents another example of the lack of effort on the part of the central government and persons responsible. For instance, it took eight months to develop and authorize the general layout of the Park.

Alexander Lukashenko also remarked that not all the matters are taken care of as far as the financing of the project is concerned.

“We were in agreement that the Park will not be a conglomerate of some enterprises, moreover, the enterprises that exist in Belarus already and make certain commodities,” said Alexander Lukashenko. “For instance, why do we need a new tractor factory or a truck factory in the Park? We shouldn’t put the enterprises that already exist in Belarus into the Park. We were in agreement that if we are to set up a manufacturing enterprise in Belarus, the center of Europe, then the enterprise should be a cutting-edge one. Promising enterprises, internationally recognized brands should be represented in this territory”. The President had instructed the Prime Minister to monitor these matters. Alexander Lukashenko said he wanted to hear out a real appreciation of the state of affairs on 14 February, in particular, the number of brands the Park will host.

The President also raised the issue of the information campaign meant to attract residents to the Park. “The Foreign Ministry has sent 1,500 booklets to the embassies, accomplishment reports have been filed and that’s it, they are just waiting now. What are you waiting for?” asked the head of state.

Alexander Lukashenko said he had seen a new draft decree concerning the Park. “I am not against the idea of discussing the decree. But I am afraid the new decree may follow the way of the previous decree [on establishing the Park] that has been signed already,” he said. Alexander Lukashenko was curious why the new decree was needed. He said he wanted an objective evaluation of the situation in addition to proposals on ways to accelerate the Park’s construction.

The head of state went on saying: “If the hotheads, who suggested the Park initially, are cooled down now and believe Belarus doesn’t need it, pick up your courage and tell me about it. We don’t need just another free economic zone. We need cutting-edge enterprises, we need factories that will manufacture products to sell worldwide, we need most advanced enterprises. We don’t even need jobs as we are used to saying. All the Belarusians are employed. Contrariwise, we lack human resources”. High-performance jobs are needed. All the things are in place in order to create such enterprises in Belarus, believes the President. “We have the most important factors — people and stability in the country that many states lack these days. Investors say they are on the lookout for safe havens to invest their money, for enterprises for the sake of calmly working and making the necessary products,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.