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Local authorities do not give enough help to SMEs, prime minister says

Local authorities currently do not provide enough assistance to small and medium-sized companies, Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich said during the Council of Ministers’ board meeting on January 14.

Mr. Myasnikovich ordered Deputy Prime Minister Pyotr Prakapovich to work in cooperation with business associations and the Enterprise Development Council to prepare for a discussion of this issue during a meeting of the Council of Ministers, according to the Council of Ministers press office.

Given that 2014 has been declared to be the Year of Hospitality, it is necessary to resume efforts to implement Alyaksandr Lukashenka's December 31, 2010 Directive No. 4 aimed at encouraging private enterprise, Mr. Myasnikovich said.

He stressed that the development of the business sector should become one of the most important factors of economic growth in 2014. Targets for increasing the share of small and medium-sized companies in their region’s Gross Regional Product should not be simply “wishes” for local authorities, he said, adding that officials should do specific work to meet those targets.

Mr. Myasnikovich directed that local authorities should step up their effort to put idle public properties back into productive use. This should be done in partnership with small and medium-sized companies, he said. //BelaPAN