2008 will be the key and determining year for implementing the entire five-year programme for the social and economic development of Belarus, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said during the state award ceremony on January 14. “It is a pleasure to start a new year by congratulating the country’s best people,” said the head of state. In his words, in various areas labour collectives of companies, institutions and organisations secure considerable advances, reinforcing the national economy, enriching the national culture, promoting science and education, ensuring the social and political stability as well as law and order in the society. “High opinion and words of praise are deserved by heads and employees of industrial companies, who in complicated conditions managed to keep production rates and boost them, securing better business efficiency as a whole,” remarked Alexander Lukashenko. In particular, ZAO Atlant took little time to start manufacturing new products and contributed heavily to the implementation of the state import substitution programme. Belarusian Optical and Mechanical Association BelOMO successfully handles the tasks of saving resources, assimilating innovations and increasing merchandise export. The President remarked, the list of awardees includes heads of higher educational establishments, scientists and teachers, men of art, mass media professionals. “We stress the importance of skilful dedicated education, a consistent and vigorous stance in promoting cultural and moral values, consolidating the society for the sake of reinforcement and prosperity of our young state,” said Alexander Lukashenko. State awards, commendations of the President of the Republic of Belarus and titles of honour were bestowed upon 65 people. Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Belarus Ilya Veldzanow was awarded an Order of Peoples Friendship for his major personal contribution to the promotion and reinforcement of economic cooperation and friendly relations between Belarus and Turkmenistan. An Order of Fatherland, third-degree, went to Vyacheslav Bursky, Director General of Belarusian Optical and Mechanical Association BelOMO. An Order of Frantsisk Skorina was bestowed upon Vladimir Lipsky, Editor-in-Chief of the Vyasyolka magazine. Apart from that, various state awards were conferred upon citizens of Belarus for many years of fruitful labour, high professional skills, major job achievements, achievements in developing the road construction industry, railway transport, science, education, culture and for irreproachable service and exemplary execution of office. Among the awardees were Viktor Babarikin, Chief Conductor of the Presidential Orchestra of the Palace of the Republic, Raisa Borovikova, Editor-in-Chief of the Maladosts magazine, and Valery Bashmetov, Rector of the Vitebsk State Technological University.