Lukashenka's Serbian Friends Make Record-Breaking Profits In Minsk

The developers of ''Mayak Minsk''and ''Minsk Mir'' have almost caught up with Evrotorg with regard to profits.

The net profit of the Belarusian companies of the Astra Group holding, controlled by Serbian millionairies Dragomir and Bogoljub Karič, who are often referred to as Lukashenka's friends, crossed the line of USD 50 million last year, Ejednevnik writes.

According to the reports of the companies ''Zomex Investment'' and ''Dana Astra'', their aggregate net profit upon the results of the year 2018 was more than BYN 115 million (about USD 55 million). In comparison with 2017, it grew by the record-breaking 60%.

With this indicator, the Karič brothers are not only the most successfull developers in Belarus, but also the owners of one of the most profitable businesses on the national scale.

Among the private companies that published their financial indicators for 2018, only the biggest retailer of the country Evrotorg earned more than ''Zomex Investment'' and ''Dana Astra'' - its net profit, corrected given the scope of losses on currency exchange divergences, made BYN 136,88 million (20,9% growth) in 2018.

In the state sector, the companies belonging to the governments of Belarus and Russia earned more than the Karič brothers last year – Belaruskali and Gazprom Transgaz Belarus. The net profit of Belaruskali made BYN 819, 582 million, Gazprom's daughter company's - BYN 602, 440 million.

Important to note, the representatives of one of the most influential family of the post-Socialist Serbia appeared in Belarus in 2008. For ten years, they have become the biggest investors into the local real estate market.

In 2009-2012, the Belarusian daughter companies of the developing holding Dana Holdings, owned by the Karič brothers, have built the residential facilities ''Mozart'', ''Beethoven'' and ''Chopin'', and received land for the development of several big residential complexes, headed by ''Mayak Minsk''. In 2015, Dana Holdings replaced the Russian Itera inthe development of the territories of the former airport ''Minsk'' and the Minsk Aircraft Repair Plant #407.

A total of 1,274, 700 square meters in 7 residential complexes and houses have been built and sold with the efforts of Dana Holdings for the whole period of their activity in Belarus. Also, one of the country's biggest malls Dana Mall (120 thousand square meters of general area), and a business center Dana Center have been opened.

At present time, the companies of the holding are building and selling square meters of the residential block ''Minsk Mir''. During 2015-2027,it is planned to build 3 million square meters more in the framework of this project. Another 300 tbousand square meters will be built by 2020 inside the projects Vogue and Chaliuskintsau Park.

In 2016, Dragomir and Bogoljub Karič received the right to build a business-center Capital Center at the site of the former building of the Great Patriotic War Museum. It is supposed to appear in the center of Minsk by 2020.

The Serbian businessmen have long been known by their friendship with Aliaksandr Lukashenka. According to Serbian media, the Belarusian dictator visited the most popular skiing resort in Serbia Kopaonik in March 2009, over an invitation of the Karičs. The Karičs were considered one of the most influential businessmen in Serbia during the rule of Slobodan Milosevic.