President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has announced that Orsha Aircraft Repair Plant passes into state ownership and ordered to improve its operational efficiency, according to the president's press service.

"The company's owners are gone [shareholders Motor Sich (Ukraine) and Investment and Innovation Systems (Belarus)]. You are the owners now [government agencies]. All the former owners of the company chose to withdraw. Therefore, go ahead. This is a state-run company from now on," the press service quoted Lukashenko as saying on July 11.

According to the press release, "the company had already been prepared to get incorporated into the public sector." The president ordered to bring the company under the umbrella of the ministry by the end of July.

"The plant should be up and running whatever the cost. It should not just be there, it should grow,” Lukashenko said and emphasized that if traditional partners fail to supply the necessary component parts, the company should forge new partnerships and start its own production of components.

Lukashenko noted that the state might lend a helping hand to the company.

OJSC Orsha Aircraft Repair Plant is a leading enterprise of Belarus. It specializes in repairing all Mi-8 (Mi-17), Mi-24 (Mi-35) series helicopters.