MINSK, 3 December (BelTA) – The state will spare no money for scientists if they produces results, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with the working group to analyze the activities of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) on 3 December, BelTA has learned.
"Everyone praises me for preserving the Academy of Sciences. But I saved it so that it could produce results. Therefore, while making proposals about salaries (it is unpopular to say this before the election, but I have never engaged in populism), you must suggest the source of financing. We will not spare money if we see results," the Belarusian leader summarized.
After hearing the keynote speaker (Vasil Gerasimov, chairman of the State Control Committee and head of the working group to analyze the NASB activities), the head of state asked the opinion of the other participants of the meeting. Aleksandr Kosinets, deputy chairman of the Belarusian People's Congress and member of the working group, was the first to speak.
First of all, he drew attention to the fact that the country does not actually calculate the science intensity of GDP. The amounts of funds earmarked from the national budget for scientific activities are different every year and vary dramatically. “There should not be such fluctuations. We should have a clearly planned, predicted financial tool to support science,” Aleksandr Kosinets is convinced.
He suggested paying special attention to the stimuli for scientific personnel. Aleksandr Kosinets believes that the salary of teaching staff should be not lower than that of miners. “They should not think about other things but science,” Aleksandr Kosinets said.
In addition, he added, there is a need for new criteria for electing full members and corresponding members of the NASB. The current criteria, believes Aleksandr Kosinets, are artificially low and simply allow to fill vacant seats. It is also important to complete the modernization of scientific enterprises to ensure the implementation of projects, and to establish closer interaction between ministries and the National Academy of Sciences.
“Let us not resort to agitation. Saying that corresponding members and miners should be paid equal salaries is from the realm of populism. You have not named a single source. Shall we take money from the miners and give it to scientists? I would like to hear suggestions on where to get these funds. This will be of primary importance now,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
Aleksandr Kosinets believes that scientists will not be able to cover all areas of activity: they simply lack personnel and competencies. This means that the National Academy of Sciences should focus on expert activities and become a kind of advisor when, for example, foreign technologies are purchased for certain enterprises. “Here we are talking about nuclear energy, bioindustry or petrochemical complex. A serious expert approach is required in order to avoid mistakes later. We cannot lose significant resources in the future. This money will be enough to pay salaries for 100 years to come,” the member of the working group said.
“Which one?” the president asked.
“Which we will save on the correct selection of capacity, equipment, not making mistakes in the purchase of certain installations that later cannot process the specified amount,” Aleksandr Kosinets said.
“I want to hear the opinion of the members of the working group. Then we will decide how to act in order to approach a meeting of academicians, corresponding members, specialists of university science,” the head of state said.
Aleksandr Kosinets believes that scientists will not be able to cover all areas of activity: they simply lack personnel and competencies. This means that the National Academy of Sciences should focus on expert activities and become a kind of advisor when, for example, foreign technologies are purchased for certain enterprises. “Here we are talking about nuclear energy, bioindustry or petrochemical complex. A serious expert approach is required in order to avoid mistakes later. We cannot lose significant resources in the future. This money will be enough to pay salaries for 100 years to come,” the member of the working group said.
“Which one?” the president asked.
“Which we will save on the correct selection of capacity, equipment, not making mistakes in the purchase of certain installations that later cannot process the specified amount,” Aleksandr Kosinets said.
“I want to hear the opinion of the members of the working group. Then we will decide how to act in order to approach a meeting of academicians, corresponding members, specialists of university science,” the head of state said.
Maybe our doctors and academicians, PhDs deserve higher salaries and maybe we need to increase them fivefold (its just that we will need to find the source of financing). We just know that we want a result. We will spare no money for the result."
Aleksandr Lukashenko cited the drone production as an example. According to him, scientists pay little attention to this area, while this weapon is more relevant today than ever. "It concerns not so much the scientists and the NASB, but the government. The government is underperforming in this regard," the president said.
"It is not about salaries. Is everyone going to earn fixed base salaries? If we pay Br8,000-10,000 to doctors and PhDs, will everything be fine? What to pay for? We understand that PhD theses are not always up to the mark. Even though there is the strict control on the part of the president. And then you say: we should pay them like miners. But we see the results of a miner’s work. Here, if we pay according to your calculations, neither doctors nor PhDs will be motivated to work hard," the head of state is sure. "I am not against people getting money, but people should earn it."
Aleksandr Lukashenko cited the drone production as an example. According to him, scientists pay little attention to this area, while this weapon is more relevant today than ever. "It concerns not so much the scientists and the NASB, but the government. The government is underperforming in this regard," the president said.
"It is not about salaries. Is everyone going to earn fixed base salaries? If we pay Br8,000-10,000 to doctors and PhDs, will everything be fine? What to pay for? We understand that PhD theses are not always up to the mark. Even though there is the strict control on the part of the president. And then you say: we should pay them like miners. But we see the results of a miner’s work. Here, if we pay according to your calculations, neither doctors nor PhDs will be motivated to work hard," the head of state is sure. "I am not against people getting money, but people should earn it."
"Everyone praises me for preserving the Academy of Sciences. But I saved it so that it could produce results. Therefore, while making proposals about salaries (it is unpopular to say this before the election, but I have never engaged in populism), you must suggest the source of financing. We will not spare money if we see results," the Belarusian leader summarized.
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