OREANDA-NEWS. May 20, 2009. In 2009, 24 innovation and energy efficient enterprises manufacturing high-tech competitive products will be established in Belarus, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky told reporters after visiting Atlant company, reported the Official website government.by.
 
Belarus has been implementing a new model of innovation development of economy for five years already, the Prime Minister said. Over the last three years, new plants and production facilities have continuously been established in the country. “Today we are determined to continue the modernization of the economy,” the Premier underlined.

He praised the efforts of Atlant to upgrade its production facilities. The depreciation of equipment was reduced by 40%. “Cutting-edge technologies should be implemented even at such advanced companies as Atlant every year,” Sergei Sidorsky said.

According to him, modernization requires significant resources, both domestic and foreign ones. If we invest external borrowing and other resources in the development of economy and innovation technology, they will always bring profit for enterprises and the state. “This is why the innovation policy is and has always been essential,” the head of government said.

The country will always be in need of credit resources to modernize the national economy, Sergei Sidorsky said. Today everybody understands it; the CIS neighbouring countries have shifted focus to innovation policy. Despite all the financial problems, Belarus should have new companies, competitive and export-oriented.

“What matters most is that all the raised resources should be invested in innovation technologies,” the Belarusian Premier underscored.

According to him, Belarus has already gained experience of developing innovation production and is ready to export high-quality products. As an example, the Prime Minister cited the production of microwave ovens, washing machines. He also mentioned the plans to construct six new woodworking enterprises and three cement plants, modernize electric mains and generating capacities of the country. This way the country intends to secure its foothold on the foreign market. “It is one of the avenues of our innovation policy,” Sergei Sidorsky noted.

Atlant intends to construct a refrigerator-making facility in Uzbekistan, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky told reporters.

The plant in Uzbekistan is expected to produce 250,000 refrigerators a year. Atlant can supply its equipment and technologies to Uzbekistan.

“Today we reviewed the technological conversion at Atlant. We can construct a plant in Uzbekistan using Atlant’s technologies and know-hows,” the Prime Minister said. At present, the sides are discussing this issue. Atlant has sent a feasibility study of the project to Uzbekistan.

According to Sergei Sidorsky, a similar project can be implemented in Kazakhstan as well. The Belarusian Premier intends to discuss this issue with the Kazakhstan leadership. “You know that the Kazakh President has announced the policy of innovation development for the next five years. In this connection out project might interest them,” Sergei Sidorsky said. “We should not focus on the problems. We need to look ahead, we need to know how will be working tomorrow and develop new projects,” the Prime Minister said.