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‘Desire to work is key.’ Lukashenko on bringing Uzbek workers to Belarus

MINSK, 23 July (BelTA) – While making personnel desicions, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko commented on bringing workers from Uzbekistan to Belarus, BelTA has learned.

The head of state noted that there has been a great deal of discussion around the issue of labor migration. “‘Oh, look, they are bringing in Uzbeks!’ I say: ‘We don’t have to bring anyone, but then we must buckle down and work ourselves’,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated.

He pointed out that in some regions there is sometimes a shortage of people. Districts that need workers in certain fields may invite suitable specialists from Uzbekistan. For this, the head of an enterprise and the chairman of the district executive committee must determine how many people are needed and in which specialties. “If there aren’t enough people there, you will choose whoever is needed. This also applies to Grodno Oblast, especially the northern areas (Ostrovets and so on). They need people. But where they aren’t needed, don’t take them. No one is forcing anyone,” the head of state emphasized. “The manager and the district executive committee chairman must decide how many people are needed and for which positions.”

The president stressed that some workers will need additional training, but the main condition is the desire to work. “Don’t expect great specialists to come here. They already have jobs there. Some simply need to be trained or retrained. But the main thing is that they have the desire to work. You must clearly understand this,” Aleksandr Lukashenko told local authorities.

The Belarusian leader added that the president of Uzbekistan asked him not only about employment opportunities for people, but primarily about supplies of meat and milk. An agreement was reached that workers from Uzbekistan would come to Belarus to address this issue. “The idea was that they would come here and produce meat and milk. The president [of Uzbekistan] is a good man, we have been friends for a long time. He provides investment money for building livestock complexes, silage trenches, for what they need. For processing. He invests, provides people who will work here and earn money,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Belarus is ready to provide workers from Uzbekistan with social guarantees, including housing, access to education, and healthcare. “Come, settle in. Here is education for your children if you want it, here is healthcare, housing. This also costs money. But if you came only to earn money and send it home, that’s a different situation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko concluded.

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