OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2010.  Belarus is ready to sell some shares of any enterprise but at a good price and without outside pressure, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told reporters during his working trip to the Gomel Oblast.

“There is a crisis now, so the prices for property have dropped. This is why I am not going to sell anything. Why? Our enterprises work efficiently bringing huge money for the country. However, if someone wants to buy something, they should pay a good price, nothing will be given away, so that the people will not criticize us for that afterwards. “If you want it – pay for it, and we will think of a price for you,” he added.

The head of state did not rule out a possibility to sell some shares of any enterprise. “However, you should bear in mind that it is not only money that we have invested in them. Some 13 years ago, Belarus was in a dire state. People were threadbare, starving, the salary was USD 10-30 a month, store shelves were empty. We took away money meant for medicines and put it into the upgrade of the enterprises, because enterprises manufacture products we can sell and get foreign currency, pay salary and live. Now that we have upgraded them, everybody wants to have them. I am aware that the Russians like our oil refineries. Why? Don’t they have enough of them in Russia? They do, but their refineries are not that advanced. We have modernized our enterprises, created cutting-edge complexes. No surprise they have their eyes on them now,” Alexander Lukashenko said. In his view, one of the reasons why these facilities are so attractive is their strategic location on the oil routes, in the center or Europe, where a good logistics system is set up.

We do not mind selling them, but let us take into consideration the interests of all the parties, the head of state said. In his words, Belarus is interested in selling them at a good price. “We are ready to sell shares of our enterprises, but at a good price and without outside pressure. It is pointless to exert pressure on any state today,” the President said. This is why, those who respect Belarusian people and want to deal with them, are welcome in Belarus for acquisition talks in the interests of Belarusian people, Alexander Lukashenko added.