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Director general, deputy director general of Slutsk Meat-Packing Plant arrested

Slutsk Meat-Packing Plant’s director general and deputy director general have been arrested, state television network ONT reported on Monday.

The managers are suspected of exceeding their official powers, negligence and power abuse, the report said.

The State Control Committee has established that the company sold meat at illegally low prices and overpaid their contractors, which led to huge losses, the report said.

At the end of last week, Alyaksandr Lukashenka ordered the institution of criminal proceedings against the directors general of Slutsk Meat-Packing Plant and Slutsk Flax Mill over what he called mismanagement and negligence.

The head of state paid surprise inspection visits to the plants in Slutsk, Minsk region, on Friday afternoon.

After visiting Slutsk Meat-Packing Plant’s refrigeration rooms, Mr. Lukashenka said that meat was rotting there and it was impossible to breathe according to the government’s news agency BelTA. He ordered that a criminal case be opened against the company’s CEO and warned Syamyon Shapira, head of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee, that he would be appointed his successor if the company was not put to rights within a month.

“All those guilty [should be put into a prison] cell, let them compensate [the state] for the damage,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “Everything should be processed. They should eat everything spoiled. Leave them here, let no one out, let them eat.” //BelaPAN