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Unimilk responds to Lukashenka’s criticism

Unimilk on Friday responded to sharp criticism from Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who accused the Russian investor of breaching its agreements with the Belarusian government.

Unimilk respects the Belarusian authorities’ opinion and will continue cooperation with them, the press office of the company, which is controlled by France’s Danone dairy firm, told BelaPAN.

Speaking at a government conference on February 3, the Belarusian leader warned that Unimilk could lose its two plants in Belarus if it did not comply with his orders before the end of the first quarter of this year.

Mr. Lukashenka accused Unimilk of failure to make good on its promise to launch the production and export of a vast range of dairy products. According to him, the company has restricted its exports only to milk.

“We let this company into our milk market, gave it access to raw materials on the most preferential terms. But I warned strictly that products with a low added value must not be exported from the country,” Mr. Lukashenka said.

“Moreover, the company promised to create state-of-the-art dairy plants and develop its own raw materials. However, these promises have not been fulfilled so far,” he noted.

Unimilk’s press office said that all Danone-controlled businesses across the world sought to act in full accordance with international agreements and national regulations. Unimilk is interested in creating new production facilities and developing raw material sources, it said.

Unimilk holds 51 percent in both of its dairy plants in Belarus.