Lukashenka gave an instruction to keep a tab on the prices in Minsk ahead of New Year holidays as he heard out a report of Chairman of the Minsk City Council Andrei Shorets on 8 December.
“Soon we will celebrate the most popular holidays, New Year and Christmas. Every person wants to have a good celebration. You understand very well that although Minsk is richer than other regions of the country, there are wealthy, middle-class and poor people here. We should not forget that New Year is a feast. At the end of a difficult year people deserve to make purchases at reasonable prices. The main objective is to prevent price hikes during this period,” he remarked.
Lukashenka said: “We have noticed that not only in Russia but here too some businessmen want to line their pockets. There are a few such people in Belarus. We must do our best to prevent them from pushing up prices.”
He told the Minsk mayor that he is in charge of prices and order in Minsk although the Trade Ministry has been authorized to control pricing. “Therefore, do your best to prepare Minsk for these holidays, to raise people's mood. The main thing is to take care of children,” the head of state said. “Minsk is an example for the entire country. You should pay the most serious attention to this fact,” Lukashenka said.
Minsk Mayor Andrei Shorets, for his part, informed the President that a task to curb the growth of prices and to satisfy the demand of trade outlets in order to avoid price hikes in the future was set at the session of the trade department of the Minsk City Hall.
