OREANDA-NEWS. September 14, 2011. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has instructed the head of state’s Business Department, the State Customs Committee and the State Border Committee to make arrangements for opening a few duty-free shops at border checkpoints on motorways and railways on the Belarusian border. Every one of them will be decided upon individually by the government, Lukashenko told a government session September 6, discussing the operation of Belarusian duty-free shops.

According to the president’s press service, Lukashenko is still in two minds about resuming the operation of duty-free shops at motorway and railway border checkpoints on a large scale.

“Today I am not ready to make a decision whether we need specific shops at the border. If we have to open any duty-free shops, it will be pinpoint decisions with specific people held responsible to meet strict obligations an,” Lukashenko said.

The President emphasized it was not important whether a government agency or a private business would run a shop like this, provided duty-free trade remains a transparent business.

Lukashenko reminded the gathering about the reasons why most duty-free shops were closed down in Belarus a few years ago. Back then a series of raids by the State Control Committee revealed around 60% alcohol sold through the duty-free network had been illegally distributed on the domestic market.

At the moment, the duty-free business in Belarus is controlled by just two companies: Dipmarket and Belarus- Mauritian joint venture Somlen.