MINSK, 25 April (BelTA) – Poland and Lithuania need to calm down and not to hype on the topic of migrant workers in Belarus, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he approved the appointment of Sergei Levkovich as First Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee, BelTA learned.
“It is time we stopped talking about labor resources. The resources [available in the country] must be encouraged to work. Sometimes there is lack of them. People are coming [to work in Belarus] not only from the southern regions of the former Soviet Union but also from Russia. We have some from Lithuania, Latvia, even from Poland. They come to us, willing to work. Local authorities should run checks on every family, every person on the spot. If you are satisfied, then hire them. I've already talked about it. So that there is no fuss that we are hiring strangers. If you don't want outsiders, then work yourself. We do not insist that people come from other countries. But we cannot do without them in Vitebsk Oblast. Labor migration is normal,” the president said.
“Poles are winding up the Belarusians self-exiled there. It is them who are most scared of migrant workers from Pakistan. They are afraid that some of these migrant workers will go to Poland. So I advise Poles and Lithuanians to cool off. No Afghans, Turkmens, Uzbeks or Tajiks will leave us. Those (who we admit) will live and work with us. No need to run amok winding up our people so that they make a fuss,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
“It is time we stopped talking about labor resources. The resources [available in the country] must be encouraged to work. Sometimes there is lack of them. People are coming [to work in Belarus] not only from the southern regions of the former Soviet Union but also from Russia. We have some from Lithuania, Latvia, even from Poland. They come to us, willing to work. Local authorities should run checks on every family, every person on the spot. If you are satisfied, then hire them. I've already talked about it. So that there is no fuss that we are hiring strangers. If you don't want outsiders, then work yourself. We do not insist that people come from other countries. But we cannot do without them in Vitebsk Oblast. Labor migration is normal,” the president said.
“Poles are winding up the Belarusians self-exiled there. It is them who are most scared of migrant workers from Pakistan. They are afraid that some of these migrant workers will go to Poland. So I advise Poles and Lithuanians to cool off. No Afghans, Turkmens, Uzbeks or Tajiks will leave us. Those (who we admit) will live and work with us. No need to run amok winding up our people so that they make a fuss,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
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