Lukashenko wants to avoid greater share of private sector in economy

At the official opening of the project “Stadler – Minsk” (a plant to produce electric trains) in Fanipol near Minsk, President Lukashenko used stern wording vis-a-vis the Swiss investor, demanding to ensure performance of some agreements.

These arrangements are informal and include assistance by “Stadler Minsk” in developing Belkommunmash, a state-owned enterprise for producing public electric transport means. The Belarusian government fears that the remaining Soviet-era large state enterprises will lose their importance and that it may lose control over the economy due to the arrival of large investors and the increased share of the private sector in the economy. Meanwhile, the president has no plans to change the existing economic model with the state dominating in the economy, especially ahead of the presidential election in 2015.