Belarus implements 18 import substitution projects with Russian financial support - Prime Minister

MINSK. March 13 (Interfax) - Belarus has begun the practical implementation of import substitution projects that are being financed with a Russian government loan of 105 billion rubles, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said.

"We now have 18 such projects. The schedule is being monitored weekly. For some equipment purchases are already underway, for some tenders are being held and for others preparations are already being made for production," Golovchenko said on state TV channel Belarus 1.

He said the "import substitution projects will be carried out within the timeframes set for them."

Some of the projects being carried out with Russian financing are aimed at "'cultivating champions' - developing technologies on the basis of which we can develop competencies, reach a new technological level and achieve a very high result in a given area," Golovchenko said.

"I'm talking foremost about the microelectronics sector. Today having microelectronic technologies is, in principle, a matter of national security in the broad sense, particularly technological security. [...] We have a plan to not only engage in manufacturing of microelectronic products, but also build our own electronic engineering," Golovchenko said.

The Belarusian government said last November that it had signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia for a loan of 105 billion Russian rubles to finance import substitution projects.