Support for the Vitebsk Region's agricultural sector and industrial safety. The Council of the Republic considered legislative amendments.

November 20, MINSK . The draft law of the Republic of Belarus "On Amending Industrial Safety Laws" and the decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus "On the Agro-Industrial Complex of the Vitebsk Region" were reviewed by an expert council in the Council of the Republic, together with representatives of relevant government agencies and organizations, BELTA reports. 

The first document amends the laws "On Main Pipeline Transport" and "On Industrial Safety." Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations Anatoly Dolgolevets presented the main innovations. Key innovations include regulating the recording and investigation of accidents, introducing new terms and their definitions, and mandating certification of welding technologies and personnel performing welding work. 

The powers of the government, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and other government agencies are being expanded, approaches to organizing industrial control are being adjusted, and more. A new version of the lists of hazardous and potentially hazardous industrial facilities, with justification for each item, has been proposed.  

"The adoption of the bill is intended to minimize industrial risks and threats and create effective mechanisms to protect the lives and HEALTH of citizens, as well as the environment," noted Anatoly Dolgolevets.
 
Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, Vladislav Tatarinovich, noted that significant work has been done . "Two objectives are being addressed. First, based on the practical application of the current law, those regulations that require adjustments are being made. Specifically, the government's authority to determine industrial safety requirements for, for example, welding operations, was not fully regulated. Secondly, the authority of the Ministry of Emergency Situations is being clarified in terms of compliance with the technical regulations on industrial safety of the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union. The best practices of integration associations should also be applied," Vladislav Tatarinovich said. 

Experts generally agreed on the need for the proposed changes. "However, there should be no excessive regulation here. Therefore, members of the expert council recommended minor adjustments to the provisions of the bill," the Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic explained to journalists. In particular, this concerns the need to take a reasonable approach to the introduction of positions or structural divisions for industrial safety. 

The Council of the Republic also considered a draft decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus "On the Agro-Industrial Complex of the Vitebsk Region." it aims to support the region's agricultural producers and defines a new strategy for the development of the agro-industrial complex. This topic was comprehensively addressed following a major meeting held in Vitebsk on October 24 with the participation of the President. A working group to promote the socio-economic development of the region, chaired by the chairs of both chambers of parliament, was created.
 
In his report, First Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Sergei Levkovich touched upon a wide range of issues, including the modernization of dairy farms, economic indicators, and the reorganization of processing plants. Many challenges remain to be addressed, the most important of which are attracting personnel and securing raw materials.
 
"The decree is based on agricultural production taking into account natural and climatic conditions. We see MILK production and improving its efficiency as the main direction for the development of the agro-industrial complex," Sergei Levkovich noted. 

At the council meeting, experts presented their proposals, drawing on the experience of agro-industrial associations, to address emerging issues. 

As Vladislav Tatarinovich emphasized, the issue was considered in light of the guidelines and instructions issued by the President. "Based on the assessment of the actual situation, the members of the expert council generally support the need to prepare and adopt the draft decree. It is important that it truly be a working document and address the stated objectives. This not only restructures existing obligations but also ensures stable operations," said the Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic.

The Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee will determine the structure and relationships within the raw material zones. It was recommended to prepare an additional necessary package of reference and information materials to determine the volumes of agricultural production and corresponding financial indicators in the form of sales revenue by year, primarily through 2030. This will allow for adjustments to plans, increasing the capacity of processing organizations, and increasing technical capabilities. "Where and how will we build modern, yet standardized, cost- and technology-optimized dairy farms? Where will the new agricultural equipment be located? How will repayment obligations be met?" Vladislav Tatarinovich outlined the pressing issues.

He added that Decree No. 70 is proposed to be amended primarily in terms of financial and other relationships between agricultural and processing organizations. "They should be structured not according to the principle of agro-industrial associations, as stipulated in Decree No. 70, but rather through the formation and operation of raw material zones: to produce more agricultural products in the form of raw materials, to provide workloads to processing organizations, and to reciprocate the benefits of this structured workflow," added Vladislav Tatarinovich.

Experts also recommended that the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee not exclude provisions concerning personnel policy from the draft document. This is extremely important for the Vitebsk Region.