Chairman of the Gomel City Executive Committee on the economy, social sphere and improvement of the city

Gomel is the second largest city in Belarus, with a population of almost half a million people. Its enterprises supply products to more than fifty countries, gradually expanding the geography of exports, introducing robotic technologies and implementing a number of innovative projects. About the dynamics of these processes, their impact on the local economy and the prospects for the development of the city — in an interview with the Chairman of the Gomel City Executive Committee Ruslan Parkhamovich.

Ruslan Parkhamovich. Ruslan Viktorovich, I would like to start the interview with a conversation about the economy, which plays a major role in the life of any modern city. What has been achieved, and in what areas additional efforts are needed?

- In eight months Gomel demonstrates worthy results of socio-economic development in a number of indicators. The volume of industrial production increased by 5.2 percent, retail trade - by 7, exports of goods - by 7.6 percent. Nominal accrued average monthly wages in the city increased by 13 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the forecast for the current year, it is planned to produce industrial products for 12.4 billion rubles with the preservation of positive dynamics.

At the same time, I note that for a comprehensive understanding of the overall picture, it is important not only to record current indicators, but also to analyze trends. In the industrial complex of Gomel, they are characterized by an increase in capacity, modernization of production facilities with the introduction of new, including robotic, technologies. For example, more than 120 machining machines have been put into operation in Gomselmash OJSC, a flow-mechanized cab painting line is being launched. The company actively uses new scientific, including its own, design developments.

Spartak launched an automatic line for the production of waffles, purchased and installed equipment for wrapping cookies "Maria", as well as a unique robotic complex "TITAN" for group stacking of confectionery products in cardboard boxes. Robotic technologies have been successfully introduced into production processes in OJSC Gomel LVZ Radamir, RUE Belorusneft, Mirtek-Engineering and others. This is not a complete list of examples – the list goes on. The products of Gomel manufacturers are exported to the markets of 52 countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, China, Oman, Iraq, Nigeria, the Philippines and others. Since the beginning of the year, the share of deliveries to the far arc states - countries of Africa, Asia and South America has increased. Local tourism has great potential. Exports of services in this area increased by almost 40 percent. Excursion routes are actively developing, hotel rooms are being updated, work is underway to position the city as a center of cultural, cognitive and business tourism.

At the same time, we see the need to step up efforts to attract investment. A good help in this process is the Gomel-Raton Free Economic Zone, a center for attracting capital, developing advanced industries and supporting innovative initiatives. Today, the FEZ includes 59 residents from 11 countries. Investors are provided with tax incentives, as well as real estate and land plots suitable for launching business projects.

A special role is played by the Coral Technopark located on the territory of the FEZ, which contributes to the creation and promotion of technological innovations, helps in the implementation of knowledge-intensive projects. Their thematic range is work with artificial intelligence, software development, innovations in the field of radio electronics, robotics and much more. And about 85 percent of the revenue received by residents of the technopark is accounted for by exports.

Now the construction of a new building is nearing completion in the technopark. And it will be not just a building, but a high-tech site designed to meet the requirements of modern energy-intensive industries. The premises, equipped with everything necessary, will accept new and existing residents who are ripe for scaling. The project is implemented under the State Program of Innovative Development of Belarus for 2026-2030.

- What other investment projects are under implementation?

- This year’s investment portfolio includes 18 projects. The most significant of them are implemented in the industrial complex and are also focused on integration and import substitution. The modernization of technological lines in Gomelsteklo is continuing, new production facilities are being created in Gomselmash.

Several major projects are being implemented by the Gomel Chemical Plant, which will increase the production of sulfuric acid and electricity of its own production, as well as build a workshop of water-soluble mineral fertilizers. Two investment projects are planned in the current five-year plan in OJSC Gomel Foundry "Centrolit". This is the purchase of a smelting complex of induction furnaces with a volume of 10 tons and the modernization of equipment for clean machining large and medium casting. By the end of the year, StankoGomel will start producing multifunctional processing equipment that has no analogues in the domestic market.

Investment projects are being actively implemented at food industry enterprises - Spartak OJSC, Milkavita OJSC, Belproduct LLC. Medplast is undergoing reconstruction to expand the production of vacuum tubes, the areas in Gomel Veterinary Products Plant are being modernized to expand the production of medicines. One of the foundations of the economy is the construction industry, on which the solution of a number of tasks depends. Among them - providing citizens with housing, the construction of hospitals, clinics, schools, kindergartens and other socially significant facilities. Please tell us how their construction is going in Gomel.

- The construction complex of the city today has more than fifty organizations. Their main tasks are to increase volumes and reduce time, improve quality and safety, load production capacities, introduce new technologies, staffing.

Surely everyone who visits Gomel, pays attention to new buildings. Their appearance is not just pleasing, it means that the city is growing and developing. Housing construction remains a priority. During the first half of the year, eight apartment buildings with a total area of 54.3 thousand square meters were commissioned. At the end of the year, it is planned to commission 147.7 thousand square meters.

The development of microdistrict No. 59A in the Soviet district is actively underway, where multi-storey houses with built-in service facilities are being built. Engineering preparation of the development project in the block of streets Sovetskaya - Fedyuninsky - Lepeshinsky. Six apartment buildings are already being built here. Spot development is underway in other areas as well. A new page in the urban chronicle was a complex of three 24-storey panel houses, built exclusively on their own. The project was developed by the Gomelproekt Institute, and implemented by the labor collective of Gomel DSC. Of socially significant facilities, I note the construction of a children's clinic in the Khutor microdistrict. The project provides for a seven-storey building for 700 visits per shift with a concentration of all basic medical and diagnostic services according to modern standards. Another large-scale facility in the field of health care is the construction of a surgical oncology clinic for 160 beds with an operating unit and an intensive care unit.

In the new district of Swedish Gorka, a shopping center with an area of more than 7.5 thousand square meters is being built. And in the Novobelitsky district, the construction of the second stage of the CRISTALL shopping center is underway. Work continues on the Eastern Bypass, a highway of strategic importance for optimizing traffic flows and unloading the urban road network. Now the first stage is underway, including the construction of two parallel bridges across the Sozh.

Completion of the solid municipal waste management complex will double the recovery of secondary resources. The existing landfill has almost exhausted its capacity, so the introduction of a new one will not only contribute to waste processing, but also improve the ecology of the entire region. Council in the format of dialogue - Small and medium-sized businesses make their contribution to ensuring employment, developing urban infrastructure and, of course, forming the revenue side of the budget. How is this segment of the economy developing and on what principles is the relationship between business and local authorities built?

- Today, about 16 thousand small and medium-sized businesses operate in Gomel. Of these, about 5.5 thousand legal entities and more than 10 thousand individual entrepreneurs. This sector provides from 23 to 30 percent of all tax revenues.

In terms of trends, the private sector of the local economy is showing strong and stable growth. Over the past five years, the overall dynamics of new enterprises has shown steady growth, almost doubling. This year alone, about 350 new legal entities have been registered.

Behind these figures are the creation of thousands of jobs, investments in strengthening the economy and developing the city’s infrastructure. All this would not be possible without a mutually beneficial partnership between business and government. The Council for Entrepreneurship Development under the City Executive Committee serves as a platform for constructive dialogue. His focus is on practical issues of doing business: lease relations in the field of land use, reconstruction and modernization of real estate, improvement of administrative procedures. This model allows you to communicate in the format of an open dialogue, give explanations from representatives of specialized services, promptly respond to business problems and make decisions on the spot. Since the beginning of the year, five meetings have been held at which issues of land use and land law, architectural solutions, landscaping, functioning of trade and catering facilities and others were considered. Smart, green and beautiful city - Ruslan Viktorovich, among the main concerns as Chairman of the Executive Committee - issues of housing, transport, maintenance of the road network. What results have been achieved in these areas and what is being done now? Which urban and social infrastructure projects are a priority?

- Last year, 2025, declared the Year of Improvement in Belarus, set high standards for all our services. Since then, large-scale projects have been implemented to improve the urban environment, modernize transport logistics and increase the availability of social services. The work continues this year as well. The focus remains on road repairs, renovation of yard areas, construction of large social facilities, strengthening the material and technical base of health care.

Gomel has found a number of new and improved locations, which have become points of attraction for residents and guests of the city. For example, a pedestrian bridge over Sozh after overhaul from an ordinary engineering structure turned into a recognizable art object. Similarly, the longest pedestrian overpass of Belarus, which connects the Old Aerodrome and Gomselmash microdistricts, has been transformed. A bright attraction was the country's first Rescuers Square, and in four more squares a comprehensive improvement was carried out.

Special attention has been paid in the past few years to the development of active recreation infrastructure. Three dozen multifunctional sports and playgrounds have been built, including the Paralympic and inclusive ones. There are places like this in every neighborhood. The volume of repairs of yard territories is growing every year. This year, more than 200 yards are included in the plan. About 181 thousand square meters of road surface were repaired. In total, it is planned to update more than 300 thousand square meters of roads during the year.

- Gomel became the winner of the republican competition of sanitary condition and improvement more than once, that is, it was actually recognized as the most beautiful city in Belarus. What is being done to preserve this title?

- First of all, I note that its assignment is an assessment of the systematic work of utilities, enterprises and everyone involved in restoring order and beauty. In this case, Gomel has his own style - large-scale landscaping, which has been going on for many years. On the map of the city there are more and more favorite places for walks, meetings of young people, family holidays with children. Modern and at the same time homely look find parks and squares. Gray asphalt is replaced by pavement slabs, game towns and street simulators are installed.

Specialists in landscape design make a significant contribution to this work. The result we see with our own eyes - lawns with lush perennial herbs, neatly trimmed bushes, decorative spruces and thuis, unusual designer benches, arches and other interesting designs.

A large-scale program is being implemented to update the local areas, which includes the repair and expansion of courtyard roads, the renewal of sidewalks and the replacement of old road curbs, the installation of children's towns with a special soft surface. Large enterprises participate in the improvement, each of which is assigned not only its own, but also adjacent urban territories. Around the factory entrance halls there are mini-parks with decorative moulding of trees. This reduces the visual load of industrial architecture and improves the overall environmental environment. According to a single, preconceived plan, evening lighting was performed. If the historical center is illuminated with soft light, emphasizing the classical facades, modern high-rise buildings and overpasses are equipped with dynamic accent illumination. At the same time, outdated lamps are replaced by energy-efficient systems that automatically adjust the brightness of the lighting depending on the time of day. The quality of outdoor advertising is constantly monitored. The city is being cleared of chaotic banners, with priority given to LED screens. They do not overload streets during the day and serve as an additional source of light at night.

A systematic approach to improvement demonstrates that maintaining leadership positions is possible through the introduction of modern technologies, active involvement of economic entities and city residents in maintaining order. Gomel continues to develop as a smart, green and comfortable city.

prolesk@sb.by

Photo provided by Gomel City Executive Committee