MINSK, 21 November (BelTA) – The status of scientists depends on the scientists themselves instead of their wages or science funding. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during the government conference held on 21 November to discuss the development of the scientific sphere and the operation of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, BelTA has learned.
Addressing participants of the conference, Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that he had repeatedly announced this meeting. The current chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences suggested holding the conference in the format of a meeting instead of a congress the way it had been done in the past.
“I concluded and thought that we were simply not ready for a congress of scientists. A congress is on another level. It has different documents and particularly decisions. I believe that the new, young head of the Academy of Sciences will work out these proposals together with you at a proper time and we will hold this congress of scientists. But during the congress we will talk about things other than the status of scientists,” the president said.
The head of state said that the day before the conference he had received several analytical memos and every one of them mentions the need to elevate the status of scientists. This is why Aleksandr Lukashenko identified his principled stance on this matter.
“I’d like to ask you about the status of scientists. Do you want me to elevate your status? You should think it over like I do. I’ve been thinking for a week about how to raise your status. Nobody can raise the status except for the scientists themselves. You should do it,” the head of state noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko asked a direct question: where is the scientist, whose name is well-known at least in Belarus let alone the entire world or even the post-Soviet space?
“How to elevate the status of scientists is a question not only I should answer but you as well. Remember: if you don’t elevate it, you will have no status. The status is not about wages and money. It is about your level as a scientist. This is why you should look for the status of scientists in yourselves,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
Considering the status of scientists, Aleksandr Lukashenko drew parallels with a similar problem concerning police and army personnel. The problem was particularly acute in the 1990s. The head of state remarked that back then he personally contributed to elevating their status and is ready to do it now for scientists. But in the complicated period of 2020 police and army personnel identified their status with their own actions by defending the country and the society. “By doing it, they elevated their status to the highest level. It may not be the right time, ‘the year 2020’ for scientists may have yet to come when you can elevate your status,” he stated.
The head of state presented concrete practical examples where the use of scientific knowledge could have a positive effect on the economy. The development of field balers and milking robots was mentioned since they are in demand in agriculture.
“I summoned a deputy prime minister and told him: you may die trying but create a robot for your farm,” the president noted. “He told me that the second variant was going through trials now and a robot would be ready by the next year. Where were you?”
“This is the status, wages, and money for you if you want a frank conversation with me,” he added. “It is a long road from an idea to an actual baler operating in the field. I understand it. Invent a scheme for us to finance you in advance until you make an end product: this baler, a milking machine or something else.”
Compensations for the work of scientists were mentioned. The president remarked that scientists are often expected to produce quite concrete results. “Stand up and tell me who we have not paid for great discoveries? If there are people like that, we will immediately consider your applications and will make an appropriate decision,” the head of state said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also dwelled on the matter of placing young scientists in high offices by following the principles of rejuvenating the scientific environment. “Several new rectors have been appointed and primarily the collectives have been surveyed. How do they work over there? A massive disgrace. They have gone too far and too spoiled. There is no other word for it. For instance, a rector calls a conference with people, who are at least as smart as he is… And turns up two hours late. Or doesn’t turn up at all,” he stated.
According to the president, another example of when scientists could truly show their worth was the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The head of state called for getting past this complicated time without falling for appeals to stop the operation of enterprises and of the economy as a whole. This approach faced quite many critics, including inside the country, but with the passage of time the correctness of the approach of the Belarusian president was recognized abroad, too. “Where were you, scientists? Why didn’t you bring me this idea or another one?” he wondered. “One starts wondering what status you need. How do you work for your own country?”
“I am identifying the track we should use in order for me and you to discuss the problem today instead of coming here and moaning that we haven’t done something or that we haven’t accomplished something. Let’s accomplish,” Aleksandr Lukashenko encouraged.
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