Nikolai Nikolaevich Sherstnev. How the president, ministers and governors exercise and get hooked on a healthy diet

Sherstnev Nikolai Efremovich - tractor driver of the collective farm named after Kuibyshev, Orsha district, Vitebsk region, Belarusian SSR.
Born on August 12, 1930 in the village of Priguzki, Brazdechinsky village council, Orsha district, Belarusian SSR, now part of the Borzdovsky village council, Orsha district, Vitebsk region, Belarus. From the peasant family of Efrem Timofeevich and Maria Nikitovna Sherstnev. Belarusian.
Early he was left without his father, a participant in the Soviet-Finnish War, who died on February 26, 1940 while breaking through the Mannerheim Line in the north of the Karelian Isthmus. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he graduated from the 4th grade of a local school. During the war years, as a child he survived the Nazi occupation (1941-1944). Mother Maria Nikitovna put a lot of effort, not only physical, but also moral, in order to raise her only son alone in difficult times. Already at the age of 12, Nikolai began working in his parents’ household, replacing his father. He followed the plow, mowed, and did all the work of a man like an adult.
After the liberation of the area in the summer of 1944, he took part in the restoration of the local collective farm “Chirvonye Priguzki” (in 1950 it was annexed to the collective farm named after Kuibyshev with its center in the village of Borzdovka of Brazdechinsky, then Borzdovsky village council), destroyed during the occupation. Later he worked as an ordinary collective farmer on the farm. At first I went to general work: I sowed in the spring, mowed in the summer, reaped in the fall, and dug peat in the swamp in the winter. He showed ability and a great affinity for agricultural machinery, having learned the basics of tractor business from an elderly tractor driver. At the age of 17, I decided to enroll in a one-year course for tractor drivers at the regional machine and tractor station (MTS). Having successfully completed training and received the specialty of a tractor driver, he returned to his native farm and continued to work there as a trailer operator. Soon the guy was entrusted with driving the SKhTZ-NATI tracked tractor, a modern machine at that time. Using this tractor, he quickly and perfectly mastered his specialty - plowing and sowing, harvesting and transporting fertilizers.
In 1950-1953, he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army, where he acquired another specialty - a car driver. After being transferred to the reserve, he returned to the Vitebsk region and got a job as a driver in the regional center of Orsha. He worked in his new specialty for only two days and realized that his calling was to be a grain grower, to work on the land, as his ancestors did. Returning to his native village, he continued to work as a tractor driver on the enlarged collective farm named after Kuibyshev.
I loved my work with all my heart. From year to year he improved his skills in the tractor business, successfully mastered autoworking and combining, and became a first-qualified machine operator. In the spring, he delivered fertilizer to the fields, plowed and sowed. With the beginning of summer, I harrowed and hilled. If necessary, he got behind the wheel of a truck. When harvest time approached, he switched to a combine harvester and harvested rye, barley, and wheat. After the harvest, he switched to digging potatoes, then sowed winter crops, and raised the plow with a tractor. In winter, he worked as a fitter on a livestock farm, preparing compost from peat and manure. Over many years of work, he established himself as a good specialist, performing any work conscientiously, efficiently and with love. In 1962 he joined the CPSU.
With the end of the seventh five-year plan (extended: 1959-1965), at one of the collective farm meetings, talk was raised about the high cost of cultivated potatoes - it was 5 rubles per hundredweight of tubers. Hence the high cost of meat and milk. The collective farm board found a way out of the problematic situation by introducing comprehensive mechanization in growing “second bread” - this is the name given to potatoes in Belarus, the second most important agricultural crop. Four specialized mechanized units were created on the farm. The most experienced machine operators, including Sherstnev, were appointed as the team leaders. Hard work and perseverance in achieving his plans helped him out more than once in life, especially when he, together with his peer and fellow villager Nikolai Kozlov, was entrusted with potato lands.
Zvenievoy was responsible for the entire cycle of work - from preparing the soil, planting tubers and ending with harvesting. At first, 35 hectares of land were assigned to Sherstnev’s potato growing unit. When later, in the 1970s, the number of such units was reduced to two, it began to cultivate a hundred-hectare area. The demand for discipline and quality of work in Sherstnev’s team was strict and exacting; he personally monitored the placement of seed material in the piles and demanded a diligent approach to every detail. He actively engaged in self-education, studied specialized literature, and collaborated with the agronomic service of the collective farm. He started with the basic rules of agricultural technology, then - from step to step - he rose to the development of scientific developments and recommendations, to the experience of leading potato growers of the region and the republic. Over time, he received secondary education. In the 1970s, as part of a delegation of Soviet collective farmers, he visited the German Democratic Republic on a friendship visit. He told his German friends about his own experience in cultivating potatoes, willingly shared advanced methods, and at the same time became acquainted with local high-yielding potato varieties.
I set myself the goal of achieving high results in the difficult soil and climatic conditions of the north of Belarus. To do this, one had to spend day and night at work, completely devoting oneself to the work of a farmer. All care for the household lay on the shoulders of his wife Nina Pakhomovna, who became a reliable support for her husband. She alone cultivated 50 acres of land, and when the children grew up, they began to help their parents run a large farm.
In the first year of working as a manager, Nikolai Efremovich experienced significant success. In 1967, spring turned out to be early, there was still water in the areas prepared in the fall, and the manager obtained permission from the agronomist to distribute composts on them. In order to prevent the tractor from getting bogged down on difficult-to-pass land, the manager ran it along the furrows, and this made it possible to bring in a sufficient amount of fertilizer - up to 50 tons per hectare - and begin planting tubers at the optimal time. Before planting, he went out into the field, harrowed it crosswise, leveled it, then adjusted the planter and tested it. In just a week, the team planted the tubers in well-groomed soil. Even ridges made it possible to loosen the row spacing even before germination so that more heat and air could enter the furrows. Then the Sherstnyovites harrowed and hilled the field twice. The potatoes began to grow quickly and amicably. In the fall, a rich harvest was obtained - 213 centners of tubers per hectare. The cost of each centner was 2 rubles 43 kopecks.
Strict adherence to the rules of agricultural technology, highly productive use of machines and clear organization of work quickly brought N. E. Sherstnev to the number of leading potato growers in the Orsha region and Vitebsk region. Nikolai Efremovich was the first to start growing potatoes of the newest varieties “Temp”, “Loshitsky”, “Ogenchik”. He was the first to propose and apply planting tubers using new technology. In the fall, the lupine field was plowed, and in the spring, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers were applied to the soil. The combined use of lupine mass - “green nitrogen”, as Nikolai Efremovich called it - and organic matter made it possible to significantly increase the yield of potato fields. In the last year of the Eighth Five-Year Plan (1966-1970), his team already collected 277 centners of potatoes per hectare. The cost of each centner was 2 rubles 20 kopecks. For the successes achieved in the development of agricultural production and the implementation of the five-year plan for the sale of agricultural and livestock products to the state, he was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1971.
Not stopping there, the leading potato grower increased the harvest of “second bread” from year to year during the Ninth Five-Year Plan (1971-1975). In the third, decisive year of the five-year plan, he made an increased commitment to collect 300 centners of tubers per hectare. The Sherstnyovites spent the whole winter preparing for the sowing season, transporting peat manure compost to the fields in conditions of a shortage of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. In the spring, the team leader successfully and in the most optimal time carried out sowing on the entrusted area. Up to 50 thousand tubers were planted per hectare, which was supposed to guarantee a high yield. Then the unit promptly harrowed the fields lengthwise and crosswise, twice hilling friendly and dense shoots on smooth ridges. In August, when the potatoes were still ripening, Sherstnev and his subordinates took an active part in harvesting grain, achieving excellent results. At the end of the harvest, they began to prepare to work in the potato fields. “Second Bread” pleased us with an unprecedented harvest in 1973 - 346 centners of tubers per hectare. The cost of each centner was only 2 rubles. The commitment of the decisive year of the Five-Year Plan was far exceeded.
By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 12, 1973, for the great successes achieved in the All-Union Socialist Competition and the demonstrated labor valor in fulfilling the obligations assumed to increase the production and sale to the state of grain, potatoes, sugar beets and other agricultural products in 1973 Sherstnev Nikolai Efremovich awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
For the successes achieved in the struggle for the early implementation of the national economic plan of 1973 and active participation in social and political work, the name of N. E. Sherstnev was included on the regional Board of Honor.
In response to the high reward, Nikolai Efremovich accepted an increased obligation to collect at least 370 centners of potatoes per hectare in the fourth year of the five-year plan and successfully fulfilled it. Hard work and perseverance in achieving his plans saved him more than once in life, especially when the collective farm board entrusted enlarged, hundred-hectare plots to the leader, together with his peer Nikolai Kozlov. It was between them that in the 1970s a competition developed for the best results in their work. But the winner was invariably Sherstnev, who from childhood learned the value of hard peasant labor, eventually becoming a real master in his native land. He was one of the first on the farm to be awarded the title “Shock Worker of Communist Labor.” He took part several times in the work of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy (VDNKh) of the USSR, and was awarded medals and diplomas by the Main Exhibition Committee. For the rational and highly efficient use of equipment he was awarded a Moskvich-412 passenger car.
The advanced machine operator was willing and interested in mentoring; many students successfully worked under his supervision. Thus, the updated link, which included Mikhail Achkovsky, Vasily Ivanov, Leonid Potemkin, brothers Vasily and Mikhail Kaplun, accepted a commitment to collect 300 centners of potatoes from each hectare for the final year of the Ninth Five-Year Plan. In the difficult weather and climatic conditions of 1975, it managed to obtain an average of more than 330 centners. With just two combines, the Sherstnyovites dug up almost one thousand centners from more than three hectares of the Temp variety. An even higher yield - 396 centners per hectare - was obtained on the plot where potatoes of the Ogenchik variety were grown. These were the best indicators in the farm and the region. Then, on the collective farm named after Kuibyshev (now does not exist), a school of excellence was created under the leadership of N. E. Sherstnev. People came here from all over the Orsha region for an experience that made the region’s potato fields more and more bountiful.
During the tenth five-year plan (1976-1980), Nikolai Efremovich continued to show examples of selfless work in harvesting the “second bread”, despite the most difficult weather and climatic conditions of certain years. In 1977, the crew of a potato harvester, consisting of combine operator P.I. Vashchekin and tractor driver N.E. Sherstnev, celebrated a new labor victory, on which the regional leadership congratulated him.
From a congratulatory letter signed by the first secretary of the regional committee of the Communist Party of Belarus S. M. Shabashov and the first deputy of the Vitebsk regional executive committee V. I. Metelitsa: “The regional committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, the executive committee of the regional Council of People's Deputies warmly and cordially congratulate you on your great labor victory in harvesting potatoes.
In the difficult weather conditions of this autumn, you were the first in the Vitebsk region to dig up more than a thousand tons of potatoes and fulfill ahead of schedule the increased socialist commitment that you took in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Great October Revolution. Your success is a convincing example worthy of widespread imitation, an example of a communist attitude to work and assigned work, the result of high professional skill, personal ingenuity, and the ability to apply the most effective methods of highly productive use of technology.”
In the anniversary year, the team headed by Sherstnev successfully dug potatoes over the entire 85-hectare area and collected more than 200 centners on average from each hectare. At the end of the year, the manager was delegated to the Republican meeting of advanced potato growers. In the unfavorable year of 1979, he again confirmed the high title of shock worker of communist labor. Having planted tubers at the best time, he managed to prevent crop loss in conditions when there was drought for two summer months, and used hilling of crops to a shallow depth. Together with combine operator Alexander Shmakov, he collected 1,146 tons of potatoes from a 40-hectare plot in the fall. Daily output on the KKU-2 combine was increased to 109 tons. Each hectare produced 287 centners of tubers.
N.E. Sherstnev worked at the head of the unit for 15 years intermittently, was actively involved in social and political work, and therefore moved to work as a tractor driver and foreman on a collective farm. He also showed himself as an inventor and innovator of production. Among other things, he invented a hydraulic device for lifting plowshares and a small safety shield on the conveyor belt. These two rationalization proposals alone allowed the farm to save 2,500 rubles in 1979.
Daughter Lyudmila and son Nikolai followed in their father’s footsteps and became agricultural engineers.
He was elected a member of the Vitebsk Regional Committee and the Orsha District Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, a deputy of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Workers' Deputies (since 1977 - people's deputies), a member of the Central Election Commission for elections to the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR of the 10th convocation (1975-1980). For many years he was a member of the bureau of the primary party organization of the collective farm. Elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 10th convocation (1979-1984): member of the Standing Commission on Industry of the Council of the Union. Delegate to the XXV Congress of the CPSU (1976). Participant in the parade dedicated to the sixtieth anniversary of the Belarusian SSR and the Communist Party of Belarus.
In 1987, due to health reasons, he retired. He lived in his native village of Priguzki, Brazdechinsky (since 1982 - Borzdovsky) village council of the Orsha district. Died February 13, 2004.
Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin (04/08/1971; 12/12/1973), medals, including two silver and one bronze medal from the USSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements.
In 2013, a memorial plaque to N. E. Sherstnev was installed on the administration building of the Borzdovsky Village Council.
Son, Nikolai Nikolaevich Sherstnev (born 1960), - Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus - Chief Inspector for the Vitebsk Region since September 2014, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee since December 2014; International master of sports in kettlebell lifting (2017).

Biography provided by local historians Konstantin Gaidukov and Boris Matveev (city of Vitebsk, Republic of Belarus).

Remove everything that has been grown (author - N. E. Sherstnev, translation from Belarusian)
The championship in the socialist competition of potato growers in the Orsha region is confidently held by the mechanized unit, which is headed by Nikolai Efremovich Sherstnev, Hero of Socialist Labor, delegate of the 25th Congress of the CPSU, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. As of September 20, the crew led by N. E. Sherstnev dug up 1000 tons of potatoes. The selfless work of a distinguished potato grower allows the Kuibyshev collective farm to annually obtain high yields of “second bread” at low production costs. N. E. Sherstnev heads the district school of excellence.
The wedge behind the village of Priguzki is wide and flat. Here our team grew potatoes. Cleaning is now in full swing. As you drive to one edge of the field, the other is barely visible. The tractor rolls for a long time, and you don’t have to turn it around very often. And this saves a lot of working time. Today, when all rural workers are imbued with concern for the speedy completion of all agricultural work, every saved minute is very valuable. She is, as they say, worth her weight in gold.
We, machine operators, are very aware of this and strive to use the equipment entrusted to us with maximum load, to harvest potatoes quickly and without loss. By the way, my team grew it on 40 hectares. The harvest throughout the entire area was a great success. From each hectare we collect 300 or more centners. When we plow the potato field, another 25 centners will be added.
The driver Alexander Shmakov and I put the KKU-2 combine into operation on September 4th. On that day they dug up 26 tons, on subsequent days - 63, 74, 92, 106 tons. September 11th was a record for us - 110 tons of tubers. The crew harvests up to three hectares per day, with the norm being 1.25 hectares.
What allows you to achieve high output? You cannot answer this question in one word. But the main thing, in my opinion, is that we compress our working time as much as possible and try to make the most of every minute. Our working day begins early, at six o'clock, with the inspection and adjustment of the combine and tractor. We check and lubricate components and assemblies, make their adjustments taking into account the weather and field conditions. This largely prevents unit downtime for technical reasons and increases the guarantee of uninterrupted operation. But, of course, various surprises cannot be ruled out. Any metal object can get on the conveyor - breakdown is almost inevitable. A puncture of the lump pressure is also not such a rare injury. To prevent all this from happening, great care and accuracy is required in the work of the tractor and combine operator. Well, if there’s a downtime, don’t hesitate, fix the breakdown as soon as possible and get back to work. This is exactly what we always do. As is known, our technical service should not stand aside either. Engineer Valery Chushkin, gas-electric welder Vladimir Firsin, and mechanic Pavel Komissarov are ready to help at any time.
I cannot help but express my satisfaction with the work of driver Alexander Shmakov, who honestly performs the duties entrusted to him. He skillfully adjusts the working parts of the combine depending on the depth of the furrows, soil density, etc. Our young assistants are also trying - students of Orsha State Technical University-140 Alexander Sukhovarov, Arkady Sidorov, Sergey Solovey.
We usually finish work in the field by headlights.
The achievement of high productivity of the unit is also facilitated by the diligent work of tractor drivers Nikolai Shutov and Alexander Khaikov, who are busy transporting tubers from the combine to the sorting point. They, like us, are deeply interested in reducing the time required to harvest the “second bread” and to carry it out with high quality. The tractors and trailers they drive experience no downtime. I cannot help but say words of praise to the potato transporters for the fact that they have learned to precisely coordinate their actions with ours, that is, to load trailers as the combine moves. Thanks to this, downtime of KKU-2 was reduced by several hours throughout the day. Thus, the reserve of time that we value so much becomes even greater.
Our coordinated work is largely ensured by the fact that we took care of harvesting potato tops ahead of time. And this greatly speeds up the progress of the combine across the field.
Taking a high pace of work from the first days, our crew quickly approached the thousandth mark. There is firm confidence that we will increase the gross potato harvest to at least 1,500 tons. And I think we’ll be able to help our neighbors too. True, they also do not want to lag behind and are, as they say, stepping on our heels. And in terms of the pace of work, and especially in collecting tubers per hectare. I mean the link of Nikolai Kozlov and Vladimir Novikov. But I hope our crew will not lose the championship to anyone.
The law of our management on earth is not only a high yield of products, but also a reduction in labor, material and monetary costs for its production. We have already reduced the cost of one centner of tubers to 3 rubles 60 kopecks, and labor costs to 2 man-hours. I think that this year these figures will be even better. There are grounds for such confidence.
As we see, there are no special secrets in our work. The success of the business is ensured by the progressive technology that we use in growing and harvesting the “second bread”. It makes it possible to ensure high technological and organizational coherence in work and to constantly maintain labor intensity in competition.
In conclusion, I would like to say this. Now we, farmers, are summing up our work throughout the year. Naturally, all of us will be required to exert ourselves to the utmost, to make full use of our reserves and capabilities to ensure that everything grown in the difficult conditions of hot weather is quickly harvested. Meanwhile, a significant part of the harvest is still in the fields. Under no circumstances should it be allowed to be even partially lost. Every tuber, every handful of trusts, every heap of straw must be removed and put in order. Because winter will strictly punish you for lack of management and mismanagement.
Our grain-growing conscience does not allow us to work carelessly, does not allow us to lose what our hard work has been invested into and what is our greatest pride and joy - the wealth of endless and generous fields.

At the eighth extraordinary session of the regional Council of Deputies of the 27th convocation, the people's representatives unanimously approved the candidacy of Nikolai Sherstnev, who was appointed by the President of Belarus to the post of chairman of the regional executive committee on December 27. On the same day, Alexander Lukashenko appointed Alexander Kosinets as head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

Nikolay Sherstnev comes from the Orsha region. In 1983 he graduated from the animal engineering faculty of the Vitebsk Veterinary Institute. After serving in the Armed Forces, he returned to his small homeland. From 1984 to 2002, he went from deputy chairman for feed production of the Leninsky Put collective farm in the Orsha region to first deputy chairman - head of the department of agriculture and food of the Minsk regional executive committee. Then Nikolai Nikolaevich successfully applied his knowledge and experience in the poultry industry, achieving high results in this field. He headed the republican association "Belptitseprom", held the position of general director of OJSC "1st Minsk Poultry Farm". Since September 2014, he has been assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus - chief inspector for the Vitebsk region.

Head of the Presidential Administration Alexander Kosinets, introducing the new governor, noted that the most important thing is caring for people. There should be no bureaucracy. Any person should be treated as his relative, then the work of the authorities will have a tangible effect. Alexander Nikolaevich drew attention to the fact that 2015 will be difficult, so the region’s activists need to concentrate their efforts and ensure the dynamic development of the economy, fully fulfilling all forecast indicators. At the same time, according to the head of the Presidential Administration, next year we will have to work harder, since a very high base has been created in the region following the results of 2014. Gross regional product, physical volume index, innovative products, wholesale trade turnover, social sphere – these are the areas of activity in which the Vitebsk region occupies a leading position in the republic.

“I ask you to maintain the positions you have won and increase them,” Alexander Kosinets urged those present. – Work for the benefit of the prosperity of the Dvina region and the country. So that today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow is better than today.

– Together, as a single team, we did everything possible and even impossible in the conditions of a severe economic crisis. And we survived. When there is unity, there are no contradictions, the goal is clearly visible, tasks for implementation are outlined - there is no force that could defeat such a team. The personnel of the Vitebsk region are very strong, significant and enjoy authority,” the head of the Presidential Administration emphasized and added that he will continue to provide maximum support to the Vitebsk region. He also thanked the deputies for supporting the new governor.

“I regard the position of chairman of the regional executive committee as a huge trust of the President,” Nikolai Sherstnev emphasized in his speech. – I am aware of how high the responsibility and demand for the state of affairs in the Vitebsk region is.

Nikolai Nikolaevich noted that in difficult conditions it will be necessary to consistently organize work in such a way as to prevent negative phenomena, but, on the contrary, to dynamically develop the economy of the region. The chairman of the regional executive committee is going to study the situation in all sectors as quickly as possible, and visit those areas that he did not have time to visit as assistant to the President - chief inspector for the Vitebsk region. And based on this, develop an action plan that will most quickly yield results.

“I want to thank Alexander Kosinets for everything good and kind that he has done for the region,” said Nikolai Sherstnev. – I will make every effort, knowledge and experience to give those positive trends even more dynamic development and have maximum results.

Words of gratitude to the former head of the Vitebsk region were also heard from the chairman of the regional Council of Deputies, Alexander Atyasov, who presented the ex-governor with a Certificate of Honor from the regional council and noted that Alexander Nikolaevich gave everyone present a master class on how to work.

Photo by Anton Stepanishchev

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1. His father is a Hero of Socialist Labor

Native of Orsha region Nikolai Efremovich Sherstnev was awarded a high title in 1973 for high achievements in potato growing.

The father of the future head of the region was twice elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR, was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and a delegate to the CPSU Congress. For high achievements in production he received a tractor and a passenger car. He passed away more than ten years ago.

His son Nikolai, an animal engineer by training, headed various enterprises until in 2014 he was appointed head of the country as chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.

Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev. Photo by Svetlana Vasilyeva

2. Sherstnev cares about everything

The head of the Vitebsk region is in many ways similar to Alexander Lukashenko. Interferes in matters of the lowest level. In August, the newspaper “Vesnik Glybochchyny” wrote:

« (On the field) Nikolai Nikolaevich devoted a lot of time to the work of trailed units, in particular the Amazon seeder and the cultivator of the same company. One might say, he found out whether this unit was correctly adjusted to the depth of tillage, gave practical advice to the tractor driver and his trainee».

Sherstnev, like Lukashenko, inspects the fields from a helicopter. Photo: dubrovno.by

3. Harasses lower-level officials

After one of the direct lines, Sherstnev said:

“Once again I was convinced that nothing is being done locally. Problems are not solved, citizens are not explained why such decisions are made. Ignorance and rudeness... Council chairmen should be aware of all the problems of the population, they should communicate closely with citizens, and if there are pressing questions, they should look for answers, make an effort and solve the problem. But this is not the case. It’s not clear what they are doing.”

4. Breaks sports records

Nikolai Sherstnev regularly participates in bench press and kettlebell lifting competitions. And he breaks records at his age (parallels with Lukashenko arise again). In May of this year, the 57-year-old governor set new records in Europe and Belarus at the Slavic Cup tournament, lifting a barbell weighing 172 kg.

“I wake up at five in the morning and train. Every day - from five to six in the morning,”– Sherstnev told Komsomolskaya Pravda about classes at home.

Photo by Svetlana Vasilyeva

5. Received a reprimand for non-payment of salaries

In May, Lukashenko announced a reprimand to the chairmen of the Vitebsk and Mogilev regional executive committees for failure to comply with instructions on the timely payment of salaries. As of May 1, in the Vitebsk region there were 80 (most) organizations that owed wages to their employees. And recently, the Ministry of Labor named problem regions where enterprises most often pay wages below the minimum. The Vitebsk region was also among them.

Received a severe reprimand for his “disgraceful” attitude towards the assigned task

During a scolding at a meeting in Orsha, Lukashenko also criticized the head of the Vitebsk region, which includes the district. «

A severe reprimand to Sherstnev - for an ugly, irresponsible attitude towards the assigned work,” - The head of the country announced the failure to fulfill his instructions for the development of the Orsha region.

A remark and a severe reprimand from the president in just six months looks very threatening to the governor’s career. It is important to remember that Sherstnev is also responsible for the flax industry, for which the current year, in his opinion, should have been a turning point. But so far everything looks like the head of the Vitebsk region will face another serious portion of criticism from Lukashenko.

Chairman of the Vitebsk District Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev and Deputy Prime Minister Vasily Zharkovozle of St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk. Photo by Vladimir Borkov

6. He wanted to increase wages in agriculture and give tractor drivers a deferment from the army

Let us add on our own behalf that it was Nikolai Sherstnev who in March of this year stated the fact that the livestock industry in the Vitebsk region is experiencing an acute shortage of qualified, highly professional personnel. One of the main reasons for this situation is the discrepancy between working conditions and wages; therefore, the region intends to fundamentally change the approaches to calculating wages in livestock farming: they will significantly increase it and get rid of equalization (wages will directly depend on the results of work).

In the same March, Sherstnev noted that there is now a noticeable shortage of qualified personnel at agricultural enterprises in the region. Every year, graduates of specialized colleges are distributed to the village, but, as a rule, guys are drafted into the army immediately after graduation. Having completed their service, young people do not return to the agricultural sector.

Photo by Svetlana Vasilyeva

7. Became a nominee for the Presidential Prize for his contribution to the culture of Belarus

Interestingly, at the very beginning of 2016, Nikolai Sherstnev became a laureate in the category “For constant support of national culture.”

There were eleven nominees in total. It was noted that, in general, in 2015, patrons invested 50 billion rubles in Belarusian culture. This contributed to the fact that the festivals “Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk”, “Listapad”, the international Christmas Opera Forum and other art events were held at a high level. Unfortunately, the contribution of each award nominee was not announced.

Born in 1960 in the village of Priguzki, Orsha district. In 1983 he graduated from the Vitebsk Veterinary Institute with a degree in Animal Science.

He began his career by working as the chief livestock specialist of the collective farm named after V.V. Kuibyshev in the Orsha region, and served in the ranks of the Soviet Army. In 1987 - 1988 he worked as deputy chairman of the Leninsky Put collective farm in the Orsha region. From 1988 to 1992, he was the chairman of the collective farm “Victory Banner”; after the transformation of the farm, he led the production and economic company “Niva” for seven years.

In 1999, he was appointed to the position of first deputy chairman - head of the department of agriculture and food of the Minsk regional executive committee. From 2003 to 2006, he was director of the private production and trade unitary enterprise “Valdunion” in the Minsk region. In 2006 - 2009 - General Director of the Republican Association "Belptitseprom", in 2010 - 2012 - General Director of the Minsk Regional State Association "Minoblptitseprom", from September 2012, headed OJSC "1st Minsk Poultry Farm" for two years.

In September 2014, he was appointed Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus - Chief Inspector for the Vitebsk Region.

Since December 2014 - Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.

Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus of the fifth convocation.

Management of the activities of the regional executive committee, its structural divisions, and organizations subordinate to the regional executive committee. Interaction with the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, republican government bodies and the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies. Issues of internal affairs, defense and state security, budget and finance, external relations, justice, departmental control.

Structural divisions of the regional executive committee:

Department of Internal Affairs;
main financial department;
Main Department of Justice (except for issues of legal support for the activities of the regional executive committee, archives and office work);
main control and analytical department;
department for the protection of state secrets, mobilization work and defense issues (regarding issues of law enforcement agencies and defense mobilization activities).

Questions:

city and district executive committees;
State Control Committee of the Vitebsk Region;
Directorate of the Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region;
prosecutor's office of the Vitebsk region;
Vitebsk Regional Court;
Directorate of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk region;
Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region;
the seventh department (for the Vitebsk region) of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus;
Directorate for the Vitebsk Region of the State Committee for Forensic Examinations of the Republic of Belarus;
Directorate of the Department of Execution of Punishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region;
Vitebsk Regional Directorate of the Security Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus;
Main Directorate of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region;
organizations of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus;
organizations of the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus.

Commission management:

regional commission for certification of chairmen of district, city executive committees, heads of district administrations in Vitebsk, heads of structural divisions of the Vitebsk regional executive committee