Press releases
Belarusians describe their financial situation as quite acceptable, survey finds
An archive photo
MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) – Vitaly Punchenko, deputy director of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research, described how Belarusians assess their financial situation and how they manage their incomes as he presented the results of the comprehensive nationwide sociological survey into Belarus’ social and economic development, BelTA has learned.
“I will name some trends that deserve attention based on the results of the analytical processing. First, economic sentiment is moderately optimistic. Citizens recognize and value the results of the state's social policy. With all the nuances, they assess their financial situation and the country’s level of development as quite acceptable. Notably, rural residents describe the financial well-being of their families somewhat higher than Minsk residents do,” Vitaly Punchenko said.
The second trend is rational industriousness. "Citizens value their workplace and are ready to work hard and intensively, but only if they see a measurable result: decent earnings and professional self-fulfillment. At the same time, there is a significant portion of people, including young people, who value their free time and comfort,” the deputy director of BISR noted.
The third is financial thrift and frugality. “Belarusians distribute their incomes rationally and are careful with money. A third of respondents take advantage of installment plans or credit. Roughly the same number make cash savings in Belarusian rubles. The study recorded a significant difference in preferences for a savings currency, in favor of the Belarusian ruble,” Vitaly Punchenko noted.
The fourth trend encompasses the formula of Belarusians’ life values: health, family, prosperity, peace of mind, love, and harmony. “Notably, entertainment and status are not important indicators of our citizens’ quality of life. What is valued more is interesting work, kindness, and helping people,” Vitaly Punchenko pointed out.
In addition, the trend toward urbanization persists. For citizens, the main motivations for moving to a large city or the capital are the opportunity to earn more, improve their housing conditions, and obtain an education and a profession. For some citizens, accessible infrastructure matters.
The next trend is that demographic attitudes remain restrained for now. “Most citizens plan to have one or two children. In an ideal world, a fairly large share of the population would be ready for having many children. Moreover, citizens place great value on their children’s personal development and on expanding opportunities to obtain a good education and a promising profession,” Vitaly Punchenko emphasized.
“Citizens love their country and want to live in Belarus. Among the main purposes for traveling abroad, citizens cite tourism, vacation, visiting relatives, and temporary work. The study showed Belarusians’ friendly attitude toward all nationalities and their desire for good-neighborly relations. Belarusians are proud of their country. The study reveals a diverse palette of sources of national pride,” the deputy director of BISR noted.
The Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus conducted the survey in July-August 2026 upon request of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR). It involved 2,045 respondents from all regions of the country. The first part of results of a comprehensive nationwide sociological survey that focuses on the key matters of social and economic development in Belarus was presented in Minsk on 10 September.
print version
make home page
add to bookmarks
