“We are interested that Heineken N.V. participates in manufacturing of all constituents of beer products in Belarus,” said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on 15 April in the course of his meeting with Heineken N.V. top executives.

“We are prepared to support you in every way as if you were our own Belarusian company,” said the President. "The main thing is that you yourself should tell us what we should do in the technological area so that the manufacturing could meet the world’s highest standards," the Head of State added.

“I am very pleased that we have established a good tradition in Belarus of the President’s meeting with representatives of big foreign business,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

“We would like to see the best companies produce and sell beer in Belarus,” he said. “At the same time, we make a stipulation that a certain share of products should be exported. I am confident that such a company as Heineken N.V. can afford itself it,” he added.

“I do understand that such a strong company as yours can occupy the entire Belarusian beer market. But I would not like to lose Belarusian brands to which our people have become accustomed,” the Head of State said. “Therefore the decisions regarding Heineken N.V. I will be making only after I consult with our brewers. And I would like you, too, to coordinate your positions with them,” he said.