MINSK, 17 February (BelTA) – The government and the National Bank have to ensure efficient and stable operation of the economy. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement on 17 February as he heard the government’s report for the year 2025, BelTA has learned.
The president stressed that there is potential and opportunities in the country for substantially improving economic indicators. “We can do it. We need results. I just want to caution you without scaring anyone. I want you to hear me,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “This is my advice to you. I advise you as if you were my own children: get down to work. If you are told to go and work, then you have to. Because of the time. Trust me, I am saying it for the 35th time: it is better than fighting a war.”
“Let’s get a move on and work,” the head of state stressed. “How many times do I have to convince you of that? Let’s work in a calm manner. Everyone should bear their own workload. Think about your children. We’ve already lived some part of our lives. But what will we leave to the children?”
The president pointed out that the government and the National Bank are the primary bodies in charge of making key economic decisions. “You should work towards one goal. The government and the National Bank should take care of the economy,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. He stressed that different points of view are possible but they should not be antagonistic. “I don’t interfere in your work. But you will be held accountable for results,” the head of state warned.
He reminded that there are plenty of ill-wishers around Belarus and they will not leave the country alone. Continuing the line of thought, he mentioned events of the year 2020 and the lessons that had to be learned from the past because a repeat of such a scenario may result in the loss of the state.
“Nobody helped us and will not help. Our happiness is here,” the president stressed. “We keep working. Not only I but you, too. We will live in our own state. We want to live in our own state. We buy some things and sell some things. We need to buy at a lower price and sell at a higher price. But selling is necessary. We cannot stop.”
Among priority tasks the head of state mentioned the development of proprietary manufacturing capabilities: “We need to make our own products. We know how to do it.” There are plenty of shortcomings in this area for now and they will have to be fixed. The human resources policy, a responsible attitude to labor, discipline, and the observation of technology are the primary concerns. “We don’t do the elementary things. And do you want things to be normal? Everyone should do their jobs,” the president encouraged.
“Oblast governors, the prime minister, and the rest should write down that nobody must quit without your knowledge. We need iron discipline. At the same time we have to see good and decent people, incentivize them, award them, and promote them if necessary,” the head of state stressed. “The attitude should be fair. It is the task of utmost importance for the head of the [Belarus President] Administration. He controls it at the top while the prime minister, primarily the oblast governors make decisions and act.”
Attention was drawn to preventing an unjustified increase in wages. The size of the average wage in Belarus is getting close to $900. “We’ve secured the minimal [wage] in order to have a normal existence. If you want more, you have to work for it. Those, who can do it, are free to earn more,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
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