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MINSK, 23 October (BelTA) – The government presented a draft decree “On measures to support young people” for discussion at a meeting of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko with the leadership of the Council of Ministers in Minsk on 23 October, BelTA has learned.
The document is designed to create conditions for attracting and retaining young professionals at enterprises.
Aleksandr Lukashenko called for a balanced approach to this matter. He noted that assistance to young people should not turn into overprotection, as the state also needs to allocate funds to other areas, including the development of the manufacturing sector and the economy. Furthermore, at a young age, people are perfectly capable of working and earning a living on their own. This stands in contrast, for example, to elderly people, who for objective reasons may find it more difficult.
“I am not saying that we should not help young people. The youth are our future, and we must help them. Let us be specific about what we must help young people with, and leave it at that,” the head of state said. “We must create the conditions for young people to work.”
The president stressed that any promises made by the state regarding support or any benefits must be calculated and justified in advance, with the assurance that the state has the necessary funds to meet these future commitments. “We must be guided by reality, not just by constant demands for more benefits,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The head of state has repeatedly pointed out that the country has no “extra” money. “And if we provide assistance and support to one part of our society, we must understand that this comes at the expense of those who work,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. “I want you to understand this logic when submitting proposals to me. I am frank with you. And let people judge my words for themselves.”
With about 4 million people currently working in the country, we must realistically evaluate our ability to fund benefits for any group. Failing to do so risks harming the working population. “Soon these 4 million working people will be driven into the ground and start struggling. We will not be able to pay them a proper salary. Who is going to work? Where is the money supposed to come from?” the president outlined a possible negative scenario.
“We cannot afford these benefits. And as for those who work today, are you really prepared to give up half your salary to fund benefits for others? Of course not,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added. “We need to get back to the real world and face the true cost of it [providing benefits and state aid].”
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