31.01.2015 - 16:56

News of Belarus. Today, January 31, all regions of Belarus have resumed direct telephone communication. The economic development of the city, timely payment of wages, development of transport infrastructure, pricing and many other issues became key for three hours.

Residents continued to be concerned about problems in the housing and communal services sector, as reported in the “24 Hours” News program on STV.

Such direct telephone lines have been held for the third week in a row, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. And they are in demand. Thus, in Minsk alone, Deputy Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee Zhanna Birich answered more than 80 questions. The authorities are confident that such a dialogue will be effective.

Zhanna Birich, Deputy Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee:
Every dialogue is effective. This suggests that the government hears the population and is obliged to take some measures to respond to the requests that the population asks. The level of, say, the deputy chairman of the regional executive committee, the city executive committee allows you to make decisions, give instructions to services and resolve issues quickly, without delay. Any request will be considered, even those not related to supervised industries. Services will be reviewed and instructed to resolve the issue.

The dialogue also took place in the Brest region. Here, in “direct communication with the population,” there were deputy heads for economic issues. They called with complaints about delays in payment of wages and vacation pay, and about unscrupulous employers. Specialists from both regional and district executive committees emphasize that they are ready to help resolve any issue.

Alexander Atyasov, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies:
This is why there are receptions of citizens, direct lines, to study the opinion of the population, somewhere to adjust their programs for the future, for the future. And most importantly - current problems. People do not pose anything extraordinary, something that cannot be solved. These are mainly domestic problems related to housing repairs, water supply, and road conditions. During the winter, a lot of questions are received, especially in rural areas, about cleaning streets in villages.

Natalya Kochanova about receptions of citizens: we see in real life how laws work



News of Belarus. More than 30 questions, from personal to socially significant. On January 10, the speaker of the upper house of parliament, Natalya Kochanova, held a reception for citizens, as reported in the “24 Hours” News program on STV. The most painful areas were housing and communal services and social services; almost all issues were from this plane.

Such meetings take place constantly. For Belarusians, this is an opportunity to get answers to complex, sometimes controversial questions, and for officials - to find out what worries society. The President always directs officials towards working with the population. The head of state never tires of repeating that people are at the center of everything, and solving their problems is the main task of managers. By the way, this reception showed that many complaints might not have happened if they were resolved in a timely manner at the local level.

Correspondent Evgeniy Pustovoy has all the details.

Vasily Yakushev worked in oil refining for more than 40 years. As a leader, he also conducted receptions for people. And now he himself has come with documents in his hands in search of the truth. They use his patented development, but forget to transfer the money due. The last straw for the Naftan veteran was the silence in response to his appeal.

Vasily Yakushev, veteran oil refiner:
According to our invention, a device was installed that helps to clearly distribute the flows of the gas-raw material mixture. Thus, the catalyst system was increased, and the plant was able to produce diesel fuel of European quality.

The country has a well-functioning system for handling appeals from Belarusians. Helping people find the truth is the parting word of the head of state to all officials. In the work schedules of heads of departments and government agencies, receiving citizens is a mandatory item.

The bad weather outside the window conveyed the mood of the people who came on January 10 to receive the speaker of the Council of the Republic. Natalya Kochanova managed, if not to solve the problem immediately, then at least to warm the attention of the people who came.

More than 30 questions, and even more applicants. Some problems concern several people at once, and personal drama sometimes reflects a public problem. They even came to the official for the truth, hiding their faces. The wife drinks and lives under the same roof with the children raised by the father. And everything supposedly follows the letter of the law.

This form of communication between parliamentarians and people is the shortest way in finding the right legislative initiatives.

Natalya Kochanova, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus:
Laws must come from life. They must be understandable to people. Therefore, when we hold receptions on personal issues and hear what worries our citizens, this should be taken into account when developing bills, when adjustments are made, new bills are developed or existing ones are adjusted. We see in real life how they work, these laws. Therefore, this form of work is very important.

Life tells us: the 18th decree needs changes, and the mechanism for legalizing extensions in the private sector of the capital needs new approaches. This topic is one of the most pressing in Minsk. When communicating with people, you have to react not only according to your job description, but often simply as a human being.

The main topics of appeals are housing and communal services and social services. By the way, among those who applied were people with an active civic position. They discussed the construction of a memorial and the creation of a museum of parliamentarism. Often it is at a high level that it is necessary to raise the image of the authorities, spoiled by sluggish or indifferent bureaucrats on the ground. In general, everything happens, as one of those who applied said: he walked around everyone and came to you.

All requests will be considered. They will not only be answered, but, if possible, resolved. The receptions themselves continue, follow the publication of the schedule in the press.

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A correspondent of the Minsk-News agency spoke with the deputy chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee, Zhanna Birich, about work and personal things.

Zhanna Eduardovna, men should probably entrust you with an area that is usually supervised by women, for example, ideological, culture or education... But you, however, have the most difficult area - economics.

- And not only the economy. Transport, communications. It feels like every day you are on top of an awakening volcano. Almost every day there are some surprises. This is also a changed economic situation, it has become more difficult for enterprises to work due to exchange rate differences and bank interest rates, which together wash away the turnover of enterprises... I sometimes catch myself thinking that in fact, not every man would cope with the situation. There is a lot of work, it is meticulous, not episodic. You constantly need to be, as they say, in good shape, aware of all city and other events. It seems to me that in my place it would be more difficult for men, no matter how paradoxical it sounds. They are more focused on achieving results quickly than we are. However, here you need to feel the problem very subtly, get to the bottom of the reasons for its occurrence, analyze them correctly and make the right management decision. It’s not for nothing that the Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher loved to repeat: “If you need to write a speech, contact a man, but if you need to do something, contact a woman!”

- How are you coping?

“When you’ve been doing this for more than a year, you understand well the responsibility. Life has taught me to take my work very seriously, and I demand the same from my subordinates. You have to constantly monitor yourself to minimize the risk of errors. According to my horoscope, I am a Virgo and, according to this sign, I am terribly pedantic, I love order everywhere and in everything. At home I relax to the fullest in a purely feminine way: I like to do cleaning. This relieves stress and makes it possible to reboot the brain. I have long noticed that physical labor greatly relieves me of the burden of work problems and relaxes me. If you know how to switch yourself from one topic to another, then you can deal with problems much easier.

- Let's just talk about Zhanna Birich. How does the morning start, how long are you going to work?

- Rise at 5:30. While breakfast is being cooked (in addition to porridge, cottage cheese with honey is required daily) - get ready in the morning, iron your suit in the evening, and make sure to make the bed. This is a habit I have had since early childhood - no matter what the circumstances, the bed should always be tidy. Then, if necessary, 20 minutes at the hairdresser and by 8:00 to work. I do everything very quickly, sometimes I even have time to wash the floors in the apartment.

- Do you want to say that you do all your homework yourself?

- Of course, all by myself! It takes a little time to clean a two-room apartment, and with age, dexterity has developed. I can allow myself to relax for a few minutes. It happens that I have a small snack. I can sing a song or dance when I’m in the mood. Real comfort, a feeling of harmony of soul and body, comes when everything in the apartment is cleaned, washed and put in its place.

- Do you manage to relax on vacation?

- I love the sea very much. It relieves both fatigue and tension, and thoughts are completely recharged. What I like most is visiting Florence, especially visiting museums. For me, there is nothing more exciting than admiring originals by great artists of the past. Tourists in the city run after their bags, and I order an additional four hours at the museum. I really love Belarusian cities. They have a unique spirit and their own life, which, if you look closely, can be completely enchanting. But, unfortunately, it’s becoming less and less common to go on such trips. Do you know what song is spinning in my head when I return to Belarus? “It’s good that there is this happiness in the world - the way home.”

You always look stylish and elegant. Is the basis of your wardrobe imported or from a Belarusian manufacturer? And do you have your own stylist?

- Of course, I choose the clothes myself. The hairdresser who gives me my haircut helps me with my hair. As for the wardrobe, there are Belarusian items, and there are also imported ones. Unfortunately, the salary does not allow excess clothing. But the basic things must be up to par. My wardrobe takes years to form, so I can buy decent items within my income from a Belarusian manufacturer or abroad. As for elegance and style, the roots come from family upbringing. Mom did not allow herself to go to work without her hair done, without a carefully ironed suit and polished shoes. My brother and I were taught from early childhood that a lot depends on personal attitude towards appearance. Especially for a woman.

- In that case, you must love shopping...

- It’s a paradox, I like beautiful things, but forcing myself to go shopping can be oh so difficult. It’s easier when one of my friends, knowing my workload at work, calls and gives directions, suggests: here and there is a comfortable and inexpensive thing. Then on Sunday we meet with a friend and go on “relaxation”. By the way, thanks to my friends, I learned to drive a car. Previously, both they and the children helped out. But you can’t constantly burden them. I also want to say that my friends, and among them there are doctors, programmers, and economists, had to achieve everything in life, like me, through their own labor. And today, when in moments of weakness I begin to feel sorry for myself, I suddenly realize that there are people nearby who get no less in life. At such moments, the realization comes that work, with all its vicissitudes, is life. It gives you material wealth, self-confidence and helps you find the people you deserve.

- In moments of weakness, do you want to give up everything and remain just a woman with the everyday bustle?

- Happens. But then I think: most women have a completely different pace of life, more measured, perhaps more pampered. But I am already programmed to do everything quickly, clearly, according to a pre-planned plan. Can't waste time. In moments of feminine weakness, I have the strength to force myself to pull myself together and do what needs to be done. Thanks friends. Thanks to them, I can break away from the established rhythm for a while and go to the theater, bathhouse, or go on a picnic. Knowing that I have working Saturdays, they can arrange for me to be “guests” - they will prepare dinner themselves and drop in for me in the evening. Or rather, it’s me who comes to my place, as if on a visit.

- How is your relationship with your daughter’s family? Does your position have an impact on children?

- We are equal at home with them. It cannot be denied that there are undercurrents on the side in relation to both the daughter and the son-in-law. And sometimes it bothers them. But they are great, they take what is happening calmly. At home, the topic of my work is not even discussed. My daughter and I are very good friends, and my granddaughter sees me not just as a grandmother, but as an adult friend, to whom she can sometimes tell things that even her mother should not hear. And I really appreciate this trust.

Since we're on the topic of family, what would you say about yourself as a mother-in-law? Is the classic mother-in-law-son-in-law relationship not for you?

- I do not want and will not wedge myself into the lives of my children, to impose my vision of solving their problems. So the classic joke about mother-in-law and son-in-law, I hope, is not about us. And I can only give advice to my daughter, she is my dear person and I can tell her everything that I consider necessary. I don’t try to constantly protect them, because experience, even negative ones, is “the son of difficult mistakes.”

More materials from the section:

Interview with Zhanna Birich to “Narodnaya Gazeta”

Without innovation there is no progress

According to the program developers, the Minsk region will become a region of high concentration of intellectual potential and high culture, a center for incubating new technologies and attracting investors ready to invest their capital in highly effective projects. In recent years, the speed of the innovation process has increased dramatically. The governments of many countries are investing effort and resources in the creation and development of national innovative systems for transferring knowledge from the scientific sector, where it is born, to the industrial and agricultural production sector, where it is transformed into goods and services. In Belarus, innovation is also one of the country's development priorities. Now each region is preparing its own program for scientific and technical activities for the upcoming five-year period, after which they will form the backbone of a similar republican program. Chairman of the Economics Committee of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee Zhanna BIRICH told the Narodnaya Gazeta correspondent about the goals and objectives of the regional scientific and technical program “Development of the Minsk Region for 2006-2010”.

The main goal of the innovative development of the region is to solve the problems of technical re-equipment of production, increase the efficiency of industry, and in agriculture - to restore the leading role of the region in providing the country with food, says Zhanna Eduardovna.

– The priorities of the program are the introduction of progressive technological processes, increasing the yield of main agricultural crops and increasing the productivity of livestock, and the development, primarily in rural areas, of healthcare facilities.

– Judging by statistical data, in recent years the economy
The Minsk region is developing dynamically. Which sectors attract the most investment?

– In industry, agriculture, transport, housing construction. For comparison: in 2002, the growth rate of investment in fixed capital was 104.5, and three years later - 141.5%. More funds began to be allocated for innovation activities. If in 2005, 1012.8 million rubles were allocated from the funds of the innovation fund of the regional executive committee and the own funds of regional organizations to finance scientific and innovative activities, this year - 1105 million, then in 2007 it is planned to attract 1213 million rubles.

Yes, our region does not have its own research centers of regional subordination, however, it has significant potential in the academic, university and industrial sectors of science located in the capital and the Minsk region. By the way, there are more than two hundred scientific organizations in Belarus, of which 167 are located in our region.

– Within the framework of what regional projects were scientific and innovative activities carried out?

The regional scientific and technical program for 2001-2005 included 12 tasks with a total funding volume of more than 1 billion rubles, which were mainly focused on reducing production costs of enterprises in the region through the introduction of new energy and resource-saving technologies.

Thanks to the fact that about a billion rubles have been invested in agricultural science, over the past five years the Minsk region has increased the production of main types of agricultural products in the public sector: grain - by 1.4 times, sugar beets - by 2.1, flax fiber - by 1.4, rapeseed – 2 times, milk – 1.9 times, meat (cultivation) – 1.5 times. This year, 16 scientific and innovation projects are being implemented in the region, for the financing of which it is planned to allocate 977 million rubles from the innovation fund of the regional executive committee.

– What is the difference between the new scientific and technical program “Development of the Minsk Region for 2006-2010” from the previous one?

– Its goal is not only to increase the efficiency of agricultural and industrial production based on the development and implementation of resource-saving technologies, but also, in accordance with the State Program for Rural Revival and Development for 2005-2010, to improve the engineering infrastructure of rural settlements in the Minsk region. And the main task is to attract investment in efficient and competitive production and activities that ensure the progressive development of the region’s economy and increase the competitiveness of production.

– We must assume that funding for research and development in this area will also increase...

Of course, by 2010 it will increase by no less than 2.5 times compared to 2005. Resources will be concentrated on priority areas. Such as technical renewal of production, mainly based on domestic scientific and technical developments; introduction of world standards of product quality and environmental protection, new import-substituting technologies based on our own raw material base; development of resource- and energy-saving, environmentally friendly technologies for the production, processing and storage of agricultural products, biotechnologies, food products and plant protection. This also includes the zoning of high-yielding varieties of grain and leguminous crops, potatoes, herbs, new and transgenic crops; development of small-scale energy facilities using non-traditional and renewable types of energy; new materials and energy sources running on local fuels; technologies for the production of modern building materials and construction of housing with high consumer qualities in rural areas; ecology and rational use of natural resources.

The total amount of financing for the creation of new production facilities at existing enterprises and the modernization of existing production facilities in 2006-2010 will amount to more than 48.3 billion rubles, in which the share of the republican budget is 3.2 billion, the local budget is about 7.3 billion, bank loans are more than 33 billion, other sources - about 4.8 billion rubles.

– How many enterprises are included in the long-term plan for innovative development of the Minsk region for the upcoming five-year period?

- More than thirty. For example, for the Republican Unitary Enterprise “Minsk Regional Agricultural Experimental Station of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus” it is planned to allocate 200 million rubles for the development of new technology for primary seed production of grain and leguminous crops, potatoes, herbs, and cruciferous crops. A new production facility for the production of whey powder will be created at Kopyl Creamery OJSC. The enterprise will receive 6.5 billion rubles of investment, thanks to which it will begin producing these products in 2008, bringing its output to 1.5 thousand tons by 2010. Modernization of production using Bulgarian technology at the Borisov Cannery Municipal Unitary Enterprise will cost more than 4.3 billion rubles, but the enterprise will increase the production volume of canned fruits and vegetables from the current 46.1 million to 51.6 million standard cans.

KUP “Minskobldorstroy” will develop and implement resource-saving technologies for producing asphalt concrete pavements with improved strength characteristics. We could go on and on, but it would take a lot of time.