News & Events in Belarus

LIDA, 24 March (BelTA) – People should be looking for jobs on their own but the state has to help them. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement during a working trip to Grodno Oblast on 24 March, BelTA has learned.

The head of state clarified his instruction regarding finding jobs for unemployed Belarusians by 1 May. “When I said that everyone needs to get jobs by 1 May, I meant you should offer them jobs,” he explained. For instance, the spring sowing campaign has begun. It means labor teams can be formed and sent to work in agricultural enterprises. All the necessary conditions for proper labor organization need to be enabled.

At the same time it is necessary to continue creating jobs at existing enterprises and new ones, stressed the President. People should be taught new professions if necessary. “People should not be looking for these jobs on their own although it is, certainly, up to them. But the current situation when we fail to come up with proper employment plans is alarming and conclusions need to be made. This is why I’ve said that people need to get jobs mainly by 1 May,” remarked Alexander Lukashenko. “We should help people find jobs. You have to offer jobs to people, get them employed.”

The head of state also clarified his instruction not to fire workers without authorization of municipal government agencies: “People should not be fired for the sake of raising salaries [for the rest]. Where will these people go to? Decisions need to be made.” So, if several people are dismissed by an enterprise, the management needs to find employment for them.

Alexander Lukashenko also asked about salaries in Grodno Oblast and once again reminded about his instruction to raise the country’s average salary to the equivalent of $500. “If such salaries are not available in Grodno, how can we demand it from Mogilev? People must get this salary. We have to do it. There is no other way,” he said.