“Aleksandr Lukashenko helped Glassworks Neman Get Back on Its Feet”. BelTA’s false claim fact-checked

On May 15, 2024, BelTA reported that the Glassworks Neman which struggled in the 2000s, received much-needed help from the state.

“Huge debts, and warehouses overflowing with products. In 2005, the world-famous Glassworks Neman found itself, as they say, on the knees. And it couldn’t get up on its own. In this video you'll see how the state helped the enterprise get back on its feet,” the news story says.

Next, BelTA reports on the modernization carried out, benefits from the state, and how all this helped save the staff of the glass factory.

The WTF team found the company's recent annual financial report, which shows the “Neman” ended 2023 with an uncovered loss of 171 million Belarusian rubles. Its long-term and short-term debts totaled 300 million rubles. Auditors have expressed doubts about the glasswork's ability to continue operating continuously, with its 2023 financial indicators well outside of regulatory norms.

The government has periodically covered the factory's gas debts, with the last payment made in 2022. In 2020, the company received some tax breaks and a loan deferment until 2044.

Despite the claimed government support, the factory's workforce has dwindled from 4,000 in 2008 to 1,200 in 2024.