Lukashenko visits First National Trading House in Minsk
MINSK, 29 December (BelTA) — Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko visited the shopping center First National Trading House which opened in Minsk a couple of days before the New Year, BelTA has learned.
This is the first shopping mall of such format in Belarus. It sells solely domestically-produced goods, from every region of the country.
In July 2022, during the visit to Stolitsa shopping mall, Aleksandr Lukashenko gave an instruction to create a Belarusian shopping mall on the site of the Minsk Magnet unfinished construction project at the intersection of Independence Avenue and Kirilla Turovskogo Street. The construction began back in 2009, but the work had not been completed by mid 2022.
Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested building shopping centers to sell Belarusian goods in Russian cities as well.
«The focus is on Belarusian-made goods. No foreign brands have the right to reproach us, since it was their decision to leave our market. So we will promote Belarusian brands,» Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he commented on the main idea behind the shopping mall project. “Our policy should prioritize ‘made in Belarus’.”
The president’s instruction can be considered as fulfilled. In the run-up to the New Year, Aleksandr Lukashenko toured the chain stores and catering facilities by leading Belarusian manufacturers.
«This is a unifying idea. We need to go this way,» the head of state said.
The first store the president saw was Pinskdrev’s furniture showroom. By the way, the company has almost 150 stores throughout the country and about 100 more in Russia. Moreover, Pinskdrev has built its own commodity distribution network there. Aleksandr Lukashenko sets this format of work as an example for other manufacturers.
Speaking about the production of furniture, the head of state stressed that fabrics and accessories should be made in Belarus. «I’m interested in Belarus producing as many things as possible: fabrics, leather, wood… We can do that,» he said. «If we can, why then we do not produce them?»
Aleksandr Lukashenko also toured a bed linen store from the Blakit company, a Belarusian porcelain store, a jewelry salon by the well-known Gomel enterprise Kristall, and a grocery store of Gomel Oblat. Here, the head of state tasted the products made by regional enterprises.
In a store of the Neman glass factory, Aleksandr Lukashenko was briefed about the work of the enterprise. According to top executives, the plant has a lot of orders now. Products sell fast.
«If things are truly the way you describe, then I thank you for keeping the plant alive and running,» the president said.
The president recalled that back in the day the plant was struggling and had to be saved in order to preserve production and competencies. Gomel-based Kristall was once in a similar situation.
