Prakapovich: Conditions for imports in Belarus should be toughened

The vice-Prime Minister believes that imported goods are in a preferred position.

The share of imported goods at retail outlets will not be limited to 15% in Belarus. This comes from the deputy Prime Minister Piotr Prakapovich, BelTA reports.

“No one will dictate to retailers to keep the share of imported goods at 85% or 15%. However, we should create such conditions that Belarusian goods become of higher quality and greater competitiveness”, - Piotr Prakapovich said.

The vice-Prime Minister believes that conditions should be toughened for supplies from abroad. According to him, imported goods are in a preferred position in Belarus.

“Entrepreneurs import them without completing the formalities and paying customs duties, which leads to foreign goods being cheaper than the domestic ones. We must change the situation, so that the competition becomes adequate”, - Piotr Prakapovich emphasized.

The deputy Prime Minister pointed out that even 15% is an enough share of imported goods for the Belarusian market, which allows to come to ideal cooperation pattern. “We cannot do without imports. We must have templates of foreign goods in order to know, what we should look up to, - he explained. – At the same time, we should do everything possible for sales networks to try and sell more Belarusian goods. Belarusian goods are competitive, and I am sure that domestic enterprises are capable of offering a decent alternative”.

As reported earlier, the Prime Minister Mikhail Miasnikovich, as he was visiting the Trikotazhtorg enterprise in Minsk on 18 June, expressed an opinion that the optimum ratio of imported and domestic goods in Belarusian market should be approximately 15% to 85%. A day later the deputy chairman of Minsk city executive committee Andrej Damaratski held a meeting on the issues of further development of the capital’s consumer market. The task has been set to increase the share of domestic goods up to 85% in outlets and public catering facilities alike.

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