OREANDA-NEWS. February 15, 2008. The state will support the development of high-tech manufacturing, in particular, TV making, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told media on February 15 after visiting RUPP Vityas.

The head of state commended the Vityas administration for diversifying the production business. “Setting up additional manufacturing facilities with a view to preserving the production of principal television products is the right thing,” he remarked. The near future belongs to the development of digital technologies.

Alexander Lukashenko stressed, if the domestic production of TV sets is not preserved, Belarus will have to import them soon. Meanwhile, Belarusian TV makers are in the world’s top ten of the largest TV manufacturers.

According to the President, supporting the domestic production of TV sets has nothing to do with preserving and creating jobs. “We should keep the high intellectual potential of the economy and the Belarusian nation. Which is why we are and will be so persistent in supporting TV makers,” explained the head of state.

He remarked, “The days of free stuff for Horizont and Vityas are over. They have to think how they can live without the state teat on their own. The state support will be provided only for paying projects and the money has to be returned. Money will not be given away for the sake of it except for some know-how”.

Alexander Lukashenko reminded, once the Vitebsk TV maker had promised to start up their own production of DVDs and they had managed to do it within a year. The head of state thanked the company for good job and stressed Horizont could learn something from Vityas.