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. “There should not be any violations when it comes to farmland. The central government and the governors, especially the Minsk Oblast Governor, will be held responsible for that. We have plenty of land that will never be used for farming. Maybe, it will make construction a bit more expensive at first, but it will prove cheaper in the long run. Today the agribusiness is the country’s major exporter. Two years from now we should earn $7 billion on the export of agricultural produce. Where are we going to produce crops if good lands will be used as construction sites?” the Belarusian leader asked.“We have enough marshlands, brushwood and other lands unsuitable for farming. We can use them to build apartment buildings and other residential houses or production facilities. It would still be better to cut off a piece of forest to build a settlement rather than to use farmland for that purpose. Chose land plots as big as three to four hectares and implement development projects there,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The President emphasized that huge financial resources will be needed to construct engineering and transport infrastructure. “What will be the sources of financing? We need to have a second look at these engineering and transport systems to make sure they will not be constructed to antiquated Soviet patterns when woodland was recklessly cut out and land was dug out notwithstanding the costs. We need to use the most advanced technologies,” the head of state said. Alexander Lukashenko wanted to know if the ongoing large-scale projects are in compliance with the development concept of the region. These projects include the construction of the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park, the operation of the FEZ Minsk (Fanipol and Dzerzhinsk), the development of the area adjoining the Minsk National Airport, and the operation of big sports and recreation facilities, like the Zaslavl water reservoir, Raubichi and Silichi. “Why are comprehensive development concepts abandoned in favor of stand-alone development plans based on the administrative divisions established in the previous period?” the President asked.
Written by belta.by
