There Is Panic In Lukashenko's Entourage

18.06.2025, 16:07
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Officials write letters to the dictator about the dire situation due to sanctions.

After sanctions were imposed last October, the European market closed for the glass industry. It hit the state companies - the state had to bail out, including at the expense of taxpayers, found out "Zerkalo".

It became known how much money was poured into the two glass companies and what other support the officials asked for.

June 29 last year, the EU imposed another sanctions against Belarus. Among other things, they provided for a ban on supplies of glass products of our enterprises to the EU countries and transit through its territory from October 2024. As a result, Gomelsteklo and Hrodna Glassworks found themselves in a difficult financial situation. This follows from a letter to Alexander Lukashenko, signed on behalf of the first deputy minister of architecture and construction Oleh Shvets (copies of this document and the following ones are at the disposal of the editorial board of Zerkalo, they are dated November and December 2024).

The appeal to Lukashenko says that Homelsteklo has found itself in an "extremely difficult" financial situation. It is claimed that due to the loss of more than 40% of the sales market (it was the EU countries), sales volumes fell three times. As a result, last year's revenue was sufficient only for critical expenses, while the debt for gas (more than 17.3 million rubles) and loans remained unpaid.

"Grodno Glass Plant," which also includes the nationalized enterprise "Yelizovo," as follows from the letter, shipped to Europe about 85% of production (although another document addressed to the Ministry of Economy states that only 20-30% of output was sent to the EU and Ukraine). As a result, the company could not pay its raw material suppliers.

As a result, officials tried to get through to the politician to get state support to "stabilize the financial condition" of the two plants and "minimize the consequences of the EU sanctions".

What they asked Lukashenko for the Gomel plant

The draft document, which was sent to Lukashenko, shows that Gomelglass was asked to transfer $47 million from the budget for an investment project (despite the difficult financial situation, they were not going to give up modernization). It's about the exchange for shares of the company, which is already state-owned. In addition, there is a deferment and installments on repayment of debts and interest for 5-10 years, as well as payment of interest on debts at the expense of the budget.

The officials asked for this assistance after the plants had already received substantial support. As follows from other documents, which appeared at the disposal of "Zerkalo", in December last year the Belarusian Glass Company granted Gomelstekl a loan of Br24.5 million. At the expense of taxpayers, the plant was promised to compensate Br11.4 million in 2025. This is the cost of sea deliveries of products from the Russian port to Turkey.

What is the situation with the enterprise in Hrodna

The second glass plant was not left without help. "Grodno Glass Factory" local regional executive committee allocated funds from the innovation fund to repay the loan: 6 million rubles in 2024, another 16 million were going to 2025. "Belarusian Glass Company," which includes both problem enterprises, gave Hrodna a loan of Br24.5 million. Also, the authorities increased the recycling fee for manufacturers and importers from Br270 to Br330 per ton (probably, the Grodno plant itself was exempted from it).

In addition, both plants were granted a year's grace period on gas payments. And from 2027 to 2030 they were allowed to pay with installments. This measure was initiated by Deputy Prime Minister Anatoliy Sivak back in September last year.

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There Is Panic In Lukashenko's Entourage

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