Экономика

Defense industry official rules out customer exodus over economic crisis

A top defense industry official on Thursday expressed certainty that the sector’s enterprises would not be left without orders from customers over the global economic crisis.

“I don’t see any dangerous possibility of Belarusian defense industry enterprises being left without work under the present-day conditions,” Pyotr Rahazhewski, first deputy chairman of the State Defense Industry Committee, told reporters in Minsk.

Products and services offered by the Belarusian defense industry are still in demand both in ex-Soviet and other countries and no wage delays have been reported by any of the sector’s companies, he said.

None of the enterprises has introduced a shorter working week and, on the contrary, some are considering introducing a second shift to cope with all orders, the official said.

The 558th Aircraft Repair Works in Baranavichy, Brest region, is currently doing repairs to more than Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter jets of Kazakhstan’s army. The Barysaw-based 140th Tank Repair Works also is fulfilling orders from foreign customers at present, according to Mr. Rahazhewski. //BelaPAN