Some impressions from the unofficial visit

I have visited Belarus more than once, mainly as part of official delegations. A few impressions from an informal visit. As in other places, he joked that escort cars with flashing lights prevented him from seeing what was around. To see the real, without makeup and gloss. Talk to people who are not chosen by someone for a conversation, but with those who come across by chance: at home, at work, on the street ...

Restrainedly perceived the emotional stories of my friend Alexei Berezhny, who had known the neighboring region since Soviet times, and in recent years sought support there for matters that worried us in Ukraine: the use of the Dnieper as a world transport artery, cooperation in the production of heavy refrigerators, waste-free recycling , green energy and the like. For a long time they were going to visit Belarus incognito, its outback, to compare what they saw with our reality. After the well-known events of the end of last and this year, the incognito option became impossible. I had to ask permission from the embassy. There were no objections, we received (thanks to the ambassador and other workers) assistance.

We drove a modest Volkswagen. The special status of the delegation was determined only by the fact that the Minister of Ukraine Vasily Tsushko sat behind the wheel of the car three times, and together with Oleksiy Berezhny they represented successful business executives with vast experience and a deep understanding of people's lives, society, with management experience at the main - production - level and at district, region, country level. For me, at least, it was of the utmost importance.

From the customs office in the Novaya Guta area, we headed north to Vitebsk. The intention was determined earlier - to visit the territory away from the capital, not densely populated, with poor soils. In relation to central Ukraine, this is a province similar to our Zhitomir region, Rivne, Chernihiv regions. But ... not a province, there is no hint of rejection in it. Firstly, a well-groomed road without potholes and other signs of decay: both highways and crossroads. Clear, as if fresh markings, transport moves with absolute observance of order - through settlements at a speed of 50 km / h, outside them - up to 100 km / h. Frequent exits to the forest are limited by barriers. They are open everywhere, but behind them there is no mote, no bags and other "decorations" characteristic of our roadside environment. Occasionally there are cars of the traffic police, controlling the speed of transport in addition to an automated system, the recorded violations of which throughout the state can not be challenged by anyone (we "accidentally caught" a fine of almost Br150 - about $62). For three days we have not seen a weed anywhere on the roadsides, the grass is mowed not only next to the asphalt, but also on the slopes to the field or forest. The same on central and local roads. New four-lane roads - toll, through the capital to three border crossings to Poland, two - to RUSSIA (Smolensk region), one each to Lithuania and Ukraine. Other roads are also streamlined, repaired or updated with a sufficient number of transport service points (11 points on the route from Ukraine to Lithuania, 20 - from Brest to the border with the Smolensk region), with the presence of campsites near cities and busy transport interchanges.

The villages are predominantly old wooden buildings. Unlike our Polesye (and everywhere in Ukraine), there are almost no abandoned yards in Belarusian villages. But in almost every village there are several good-quality new yards that have been built for several years under the state program, which in content resembles the one that was adopted in the early 90s on the basis of the law "On the priority of the social development of the village ...". (This law has been forgotten by our government, and it does not allow, in particular, all sorts of criminal "harmonizations" in medicine, education, road construction, etc. in the rural settlement network.) The explanation for stability is simple: people do not flee the country, securely having job, good earnings, social security and twice as much as our pension.

Late in the evening we reached Vitebsk, a very beautiful, well-maintained regional center with restored ancient churches and other buildings, well-thought-out modern buildings, which retain the attractiveness of the architectural landscape, enriched by the wavy relief around the fast navigable Western Dvina. We spent the night in a renovated (as elsewhere) hotel, where an overnight stay (with breakfast) cost us about 600 hryvnia per room.

In the morning we visited a woodworking plant (an open joint-stock company), which mainly produces boards for making furniture. In order not to go into unnecessary details, I note that the productivity of the plant is designed for the annual increase in timber in the forests of the region (Belarus does not EXPORT round timber). The production is waste-free, the technology is modern, waterproof and non-combustible plates are also made. Products are exported to 21 European countries, including us - in Kharkov and Kherson. The plant employs 900 workers, the average salary is more than $600, a good social package (treatment, a sanatorium, a hostel for visitors, a short housing queue), staff turnover is close to zero. There are several Ukrainian families in the team who arrived here after 2014.

And here, and in MINSK, and in other cities, Aleksey Timofeevich drew our attention to the Khrushchev houses: “Look, they are all reconstructed: external insulation (up to 40% heat retention), euro-windows instead of the previous ones, new plumbing inside and everything else. they did the reconstruction at the state expense, then returned it to the people. It's done everywhere in the country. Already done!"

Outside the city, carefully cultivated massifs and pieces of land, mostly green from winter crops, attracted attention. We quickly reached the agro-industrial complex with the strange name Mozolovogaz. It turns out that, by order of the authorities, all regional gas companies run agro-industrial complexes and invest in the development of the latter at the expense of their own income. You can talk about the plant itself for a long time and with enthusiasm. For those who understand agriculture, I will give you the figures: grain yield - 52 centners per hectare, including corn - 88 centners per hectare, average MILK yield per cow - almost 10.5 thousand kg. The herd is an improved Holstein frieze. There is no need to talk about technology. It is necessary to watch (we asked for a video about the enterprise, we will offer it to the media, 15 minutes - a short material). The combine is a base for practical training of students of the Vitebsk Institute and College. The best of the interns can get a job here, build housing with the help of the plant, satisfy household needs (there is a medical outpatient clinic, a laundry, a sewing workshop, a hairdresser, a fitness salon, a stadium and artificial turf areas).

It is difficult to imagine that our oligarchs, owners of oblenergos, are engaged in agricultural production. With neighbors, this is possible, if only because regional gas companies are corporate property with a decisive role for the state.

Suspecting that the enterprise is an object for excursions, we are interested in the presence of similar ones in the region. The answer is fantastic - 131, including robotic ones. (I confess, for the first time I saw a farm where cows are milked by robots, feed is delivered by an automated distributor from Borisov. In the spacious premises of the farm there are 200 cows loosely, about each of them the computer provides information about the assimilation of feed, the number of milkings, the volume of milk received ... So on all farms.)

- Of course, - says the HEAD of the plant, - there are many people with higher education, specialists: operators, biotronics (two are recent emigrants from Ukraine).

- And what are the indicators for the region? - Tsushko is interested.

- Milk yield is more than 5 thousand kg.

- And what is the quality of soils?

- An average of 26 points.

- Stunned, - Vasily Petrovich gets lost in Russian, - we have more than twice as many on average. True, it has already been reduced by monocultures and chemistry. And who checked it?

- In the Nesvizh region, - A. Berezhnoy intervenes in the conversation, - an average of 50-60 tons per hectare of organic matter is annually applied. Therefore, the indicators are as follows.

We are moving to the outback, to the Orsha district. Similar agricultural complex, similar indicators, similar production technology. We are interested in technology.

- Mostly Belarusian-made equipment. Plowing with eight-furrow reversible plows, so the areas are leveled. The 350-400-horsepower "Belarus" is coping successfully, - explains the head of the agro-industrial complex. Combines Gomel: and grain, and for corn, and for herbs.

The deputy chairman of the district executive committee shares his worries: "I have 221 applications from Ukrainians asking for permanent work and residence."

I think this is in excess of the 165,000 who have found their new home here.

Night Minsk in the ornament of electric lights. Probably, someone alone is responsible for the illumination - a well-thought-out logic in lighting wide streets, buildings, structures, compositions. Most of the windows in residential buildings are lit, there is no feeling of twilight, as in the massifs in the evening Kyiv.

The hotel is three-star. Sufficient comfort, the cost is the same as in Vitebsk. The program for the next day is full. Even in Kyiv, I suggested visiting some ice stadium (they are in all regional centers and in some districts). Showed "Chizhovka Arena". It was designed by the same architect who previously worked on a similar building in Vitebsk. This state institution was built for the World Cup in 2014. The facility is the largest in the world and is equipped with the best technology. It can be used for various cultural and sports events, for the leisure of Minsk residents. This is the second ice palace in the capital. Previously, there was a wasteland on the site of the arena.

We collect advertisements. According to the DIRECTOR of the complex, I manage to write down: "54 paid services for the population, 325 staff members, Br60 million (about $25 million) - annual maintenance, half - at the expense of the budget, the central arena for 8 thousand spectators, tickets are cheap, children and youth sports schools use the arena for free ...".

I remember that in Kyiv the ice arena was solemnly opened back in 1971. Underopened, collapsing near Odessa Square. The first Ukrainian Olympic figure skating champion O. Baiul recently renounced Ukrainian citizenship. Coincidence?

In 2006, the National Library was opened in Minsk. The building is architecturally unique. Almost 2,000 people visit it every day, however, they are more interested in the views of the capital from the panoramic elevator and the observation deck from a height above the 30th floor. Library fund - about 11 million titles. Advanced technical equipment, contact and cooperation with all the leading libraries in the world. Paper and electronic file cabinets. Please show information from the fund with the letter "M".

In a few seconds I find my last name, references to books, even individual articles. I don't ask any more questions.

Natalya Kochanova, chairwoman of the upper house of parliament, and two chairmen of the standing committees, Mikhail Rusy and Sergei Rachkov, did not spare an hour and a half of the working day for us.

Belarus bypasses Europe in the efficiency of the agro-industrial complex. So they look from there with hostility, as at a competitor. In addition (these are our observations, A. Berezhnoy got practice in Holland for a year as a hired worker with a farmer, although he was already the general director of a production association) their production is generally small-scale, it successfully functions thanks to the support of the state, politics which is aimed at asserting the authority of the farmer-agrarian.

In Belarus, large-scale production, it not only affects the economy, but also socially shapes public policy, relying on the labor collective as the most important part of society. The interaction of the labor collective, community, local self-government and state power creates in people a feeling of the master of their country, everyone's involvement in state affairs.

- Does the new agreement with Russia threaten the sovereignty of Belarus? - we are interested.

- Absolutely, Belarus will not give up its independence in the slightest, - Natalya Ivanovna answers.

Civilizational changes have taken place in the world. They affect all countries, the usa in particular. In Belarus - too. We need to prepare for these changes and take them into account. I am sure that our neighbors can cope with this more successfully than many others.

In the afternoon we arrived in the Nesvizh region, in the agricultural production cooperative "Agrokombinat Snov". There was little time, therefore, with the head of the plant, Nikolai Radoman, we drove around all the main facilities in his own car. Along the way, he gave explanations. Accurate, concise, persuasive. Here, and not who knows where, our managers and, first of all, "reformers" should go. A mechanical engineer, manager, deep analyst could tell a lot of useful things to those who would need new knowledge. The farm is unique, for 70 years it has only the third (!) Manager. (V. Tsushko recalled that over the 30 years of independence in Ukraine there were 29 (!) Economy Ministers. What kind of experience can we talk about transferring?)

From the prospectus "Academy of Management" presented to us and from the stories of representatives of the economy, I will mention only a few. The recipe for a successful agricultural business is to work according to the formula "field - farm - processing - counter - consumer." One more thing: the leaders of the SEC today are constant training, self-education. We need to keep track of all areas of agricultural life, all global trends, to be aware of trends.

The territory of the enterprise is 9437 hectares, arable land - 7810 hectares, land quality index - about 48 points. 18 settlements. Approximately 1.9 thousand people work. The average salary this year is $543.

Two schools, where more than 500 and 80 children study respectively.

Production structure: six horticultural teams, eight cattle farms, a pig farm, a poultry farm, a MEAT processing plant, a milk processing workshop, a machine yard and a workshop, a construction unit, a biogas workshop, a meat and bone meal workshop, a branded trade network.

The grain yield this year is 80.3 c/ha (in the first year of the farm's existence - 6.5 c/ha).

Last year, 31,442 tons of milk and 29,753 tons of meat were produced. 3,261 centners of milk were produced per 100 hectares, meat - 3,430 centners.

Milk yield per cow - 10,903 kg, profitability of milk - 33.4% (in Ukraine - about 12%).

In 2020, gross output worth Br110 million ($46 million) was produced.

All livestock products are processed at the plant, sold through a branded trade network on the spot, in the district center, in the capital.

There is a house of life, a bath and laundry plant, an indoor swimming pool, three baths, a House of Culture, a cafe, and two hotels. It is planned to build a sports complex, improve villages, and reconstruct the water supply network.

How do you feel about selling land?

- We're not idiots. The land belongs to the people, the state. Users rent it, and dispose of the products produced by the goods.

By the way, the entries in the Constitutions of Ukraine and Belarus on land are almost identical.

I recalled what one of the leaders of Belarus said: "Even in a dream it could not have been imagined that we would sell products to Ukraine - the breadwinner of the entire Union."

"We're buying," I thought.

Alexander MOROZ, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the second and fifth convocations,

newspaper of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "Voice of Ukraine".