OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2012. President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko urged to work out clear approaches to regulating intermediary activities. He made such a statement at the government session held to discuss the matter.

The head of state remarked that the problem is an old one and requires a systematic and consistent approach. “The state and the economy are incurring losses because an entire stratum of parasites that earn their living by speculating has been formed,” the President said.

In his words, sometimes even Belarusian products are bought via mediators.

“This problem has become a criminal one primarily because the mediators are mainly relatives, children, friends of certain executives that buy such products, foreign and Belarusian ones alike,” the head of state said. He stressed that there are many cases like that.

“They say it is natural for a market economy. Well it may be natural and I don’t want to get half of these people imprisoned,” the President said. He added this is why some approaches to regulating intermediary activities should be worked out.

Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the State Control Committee and law enforcement agencies had been repeatedly instructed to suppress such mediation used to sell Belarus-made commodities and to restrict purchases via mediators.

The State Control Committee has prepared a draft decree that bans using so-called mediator schemes for purchasing products with proprietary funds of state organizations and joint-stock companies with the state share in excess of 50%. The products should be purchased directly from manufacturers or official representatives. Suggestions have been made to step up responsibility for not following the procedure. “The measures are certainly tough. However, several matters have been raised. The document should not paralyze the economy. It should be sufficient and comprehensive,” stressed the President.

He pointed out that only some joint-stock companies will be affected by the decree. “What about others?” asked the President. Alexander Lukashenko also remarked that the decree contains reference rules. “Didn’t we agree that the decree should be univocal? It should lay down clear guidelines. Why it hasn’t been done?” said the President.

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that it was necessary to make clear decisions on regulating mediator business.