MPs evaluate Hi-Tech Park’s potential, contribution to real economy, competitiveness

Viktor Nikolaikin, Chairman of the Economic Policy Commission of the House of Representatives, noted that one of the goals of the session was to learn about the work of the Hi-Tech Park. “We know from documents and from the press about the successes and opportunities that the HTP offers. Today it is truly a leading IT cluster not only in Belarus, but also, one might say, in Eastern and Central Europe,” he pointed out. “We have zero rates on a number of taxes, for example, income tax, property tax, and land tax for three years. There are VAT and income tax exemptions. In other words, comfortable conditions have been created for residents to work and hire foreign workforce. All of it produces such results.”

During the session the MPs reviewed the development of the Hi-Tech Park and the use of its potential to fulfill the tasks set by the Belarusian People’s Congress when it approved the social and economic development program for 2026-2030. “The fourth priority of this program is matters of developing the competitiveness of the domestic economy. These are matters of robotization, digitization, and technological development. We want to see how much of the park’s potential is used for the domestic economy and what the return is today. We believe that now is the time when the park should lend a hand, just as the state did back in the day,” the MP said.

The question of how well the legislation corresponds to the level of development that needs to be achieved was also considered. “What does a MP need to do to help the park develop even further?” clarified Viktor Nikolaikin.

More than 1,000 companies operate in various fields in the park, more than 60,000 people are employed in the Hi-Tech Park, and last year’s export amounted to more than $2 billion. “Total revenue approaches $3 billion,” said Anna Ryabova, Head of the Secretariat of the HTP Supervisory Board. “In terms of the number of employees, we account for 1.3% of the total employed population while contributing 3% to the GDP and 17% to the export of services. The ratio is encouraging.”

The HTP’s contribution to the domestic economy has increased significantly, with the growth rate of revenue in the domestic market reaching 121%. “This is precisely the implementation of the tasks set before us by the state, so that the competencies developed by residents flow directly into the real economy and produce results,” she noted.

By 2030, the park intends to increase the number of resident product companies. “At present about a quarter of the companies already position themselves as product companies. Many of them have a mixed model. Our main task is to ensure that these companies truly settle down and develop their ambitions as successfully as possible. We are also very actively involved in the startup movement, because it is these startup companies that are the breeding ground for future ‘unicorns’, for future companies that can bring the big dividends we are counting on,” added Anna Ryabova.

The MPs and the management of the Hi-Tech Park also discussed the role of the park in developing and boosting the competitiveness of the national economy, the contribution of resident companies to the development of real sector enterprises, support and training for promising young people, and the development of innovative entrepreneurship in Belarus.