According to Vladimir Gusakov, chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, declaring 2017 as the Year of Science is symbolic, as this year marks the 95th anniversary of opening in the republic of the Belarusian Culture Institute, on the basis of which the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus was later established. Over the past five years, the NAS scientists have prepared more than a thousand innovative projects, interdisciplinary research centers and scientific-technological clusters of research and strategic nature, created on the basis of the Belarus NAS, have started to work, scientific-production associations have been created in the most promising directions. International cooperation is actively developing as well — only in 2016 the NAS offices were visited by more than a thousand foreign delegations, over two and a half thousand foreign trips of academic scientists were undertaken, including internships in the world’s leading scientific centers, about one hundred international scientific and technical conferences were held. In his interview with the “ES” magazine the Presidium chairman of the Belarus National Academy of Sciences, academician Vladimir Grigoryevich Gusakov told about how the Year of Science in the Republic of Belarus will contribute to developing domestic scientific schools, university and branch science, to multiplying scientific potential, to supporting talented young scientists and specialists.

OJSC BelVEB Bank, part of the Russian group Vnesheconombank, thanks to a carefully thought-out management policy, is a universal credit and financial institution and holds leading positions among the banks of the Republic of Belarus in the field of international settlements, foreign exchange operations and servicing foreign economic activity of the state and clients. Nikolai Vladimirovich Luzgin, Chairman of the Board of OJSC “BelVEB Bank”, in his interview with the “ES” magazine spoke about the main strategic goals of the BelVEB Bank, its key activities, including implementation of the Russian-Belarusian integration projects, about its univers and client-oriented character, about economic potential of the country.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built near the town of Ostrovets in the Grodno region, 50 kilometers from Vilnius. It will consist of two VVER-1200 power units with a total electrical capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. For NPP construction, the NPP-2006 project was chosen — a typical Russian project of the new generation nuclear power plan 3+ with improved technical-economic characteristics, meeting the latest safety standards, environmental and sanitary legislation requirements. Construction director of the Belarusian NPP — chief of AS AS “ASE” representative office in the Republic of Belarus Dmitry Vladimirovich Romanets in the interview with “ES” magazine told about large-scale Russian-Belarusian construction project.

Modern humanity is increasingly occupied with the efforts associated with overcoming various crisis phenomena arising in the course of terrestrial civilization’s development. Ensuring the environment protection and the safety of citizens is becoming of great importance. In the light of the increasing number of natural and man-made disasters, issues of industrial safety at all stages of a hazardous object’s lifecycle come to the fore. Implementation of state supervision in the field of industrial safety and security of dangerous goods transportation is the main task of the Department for Supervision of Safe Work in Industry under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus (Gospromnadzor). The past 2016th year is marked by an important event for the department — a 60-years anniversary. That year was quite tough for Gospromnadzor employees, but the team managed to cope with important tasks, from the successful solution of which the state of industrial safety in the country directly depends. First of all, they managed to keep the dynamics of reducing accidents and injuries at supervised units and production facilities. In addition, implementing the Law of the Republic of Belarus dated January 5, 2016 “On Industrial Safety”, 11 by-laws were developed and approved. In parallel, amendments and additions to the rules for ensuring industrial safety were introduced. In an interview with the “ES” magazine the head of the State Industrial Supervision Alexander Kudryashov told about how they managed to maintain positive statistics and to be a guarantor of the safety of people’s lives and health.

The first foreign office of the Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance (EXIAR) opened in Minsk in September 2015 with the goal of effectively promoting development of trade and economic ties between Belarus and Russia through interaction with importers, financial institutions, associations and Russian companies present on the market Of Belarus. In the interview with “ES” magazine Victor Viktorovich Doronkevich, head of the JSC “EXIAR” Representative Office in the Republic of Belarus, told about opportunities for Belarusian and Russian companies and banks, appeared after opening of the representative office in Minsk, about the advantages of cooperation with EXIAR as well as about joint Russian-Belarusian export projects.

In order to solve the most important problems of scientific-technical and innovation development of the Republic of Belarus the President approves the priority directions of scientific and technical activities. It is planned that in the 2016–2020 priority will be given to power engineering and energy efficiency, nuclear energy; agroindustrial technologies and production; industrial and building technologies and production; Healthcare, pharmacy, medical equipment; chemical technologies, petrochemistry; bio- and nano-industry; information-communication and aerospace technologies; rational nature management and deep processing of natural resources; national security and defense, protection against emergencies. On the basis of these priorities national programs of different levels are formed and partial financing of these programs from the national budget is carried out.

The payment system BELKART is the only national payment system in the Republic of Belarus, which allows to execute payments, to accrual and receive salary, scholarships, to accomplish money transfers and to keep money on the account. A little more than a year ago CJSC “Payment system BELKART” was headed by Elena Gennadievna Nesterenok, who had worked for more than 15 years in the largest banks of the republic. In her interview to the “ES” magazine Elena Gennadievna summarizes the work results of 2016, tells about the history of the national payment system formation, the problems that arise today and the ways to solve them, and also dwells on plans for the future.

During its more than 70-year history, JSC “558 ARZ” has proved itself to be a reliable partner in repair and modernization, in production of spare parts and components for aviation equipment. The company’s brand of high quality and reliability is well known among partners from more than 30 countries of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa. In 2015, by decision of the Supervisory Board of “558 Aviation Repair Plant” Pavel Ivanovich Pinigin, former deputy director in development, was elected director of the enterprise. In his interview to the “ES” magazine Pavel Ivanovich Pinigin told about continuity of the factory traditions, about the range of products and services, development dynamics and the international image of OJSC “558 Aircraft Repair Plant”.

In 1998, Alexander Vasilievich Savchits headed the Brest Dairy Plant — an enterprise whose capacities were worn down by 90 percent, and managed to turn it into a thriving dairy company known both in the Republic of Belarus and abroad — OJSC Savushkin Product. Today the company is the first in Belarus both in terms of volume and efficiency of milk processing. For many years of conscientious work, high professionalism and a great personal contribution to the economic development of the region A.V. Savchits was awarded the title of “Honorary Citizen of the City of Brest” and was awarded the Order of Fatherland II and III degrees. In his interview with the “ES” magazine Alexander Savchits, General Director of Savushkin Product, told about innovative approaches to production modernization, ways to reduce costs and work in new markets.

In September 2015 started the construction of a new metallurgical plant in the Republic of Belarus — the Miorsk Metal Rolling Plant, which will become the unique manufacturer of electrolytic tinning and cold-rolled sheet in Byelorussia, and, according to experts, will occupy a worthy place among producers of tinplate in the CIS and Europe. Petr Nikolaevich Shimukovich, Director General of the Miorsk Metal Rolling Plant, told about the plant’s uniqueness, which consists in applying modern, energy-saving, environmentally-friendly equipment and technologies, about development prospects and competitiveness in his interview to the “ES” magazine.