A conversation between residents of the Belarusian city of Pinsk and the political analyst Vadim Gigin as part of the national informational and educational project Pulse of the Country: Facts, Trends, Meanings lasted about two hours, BelTA has learned.
More than 600 people gathered in the city’s House of Culture in Pinsk today. They work in the real sector of the economy, education, culture, trade, sport, healthcare, housing and utilities, energy, industry, and transport. The number included experienced and young specialists.
In the words of Vadim Gigin, the Pulse of the Country project was born “from life”. People share what they think about and what concerns them. These can be issues common to the entire nation, or they may have regional peculiarities. “We see differences in the problems and questions people ask. Pinsk District is a multiconfessional region with its own traditions, even with its own business traditions, located 20km from our southern border. All these factors determine the regional difference,” the speaker remarked.
In his words, matters of peace and security come first for Belarusian society. The residents of Pinsk in the chamber confirmed this as well. The political analyst stated that Belarus adheres to its position and advocates the earliest possible establishment of peace. Naturally, the complicated geopolitical situation in the region affects our country. “We have been hit with sanctions, but we’ve adapted. Economic growth continues steadily. If not for the sanctions, it would be higher. I am convinced that we will not only maintain the situation, but will also preserve the growth of real incomes of the population. However, the republic lacks hands. Workers are often in short supply,” Vadim Gigin noted.
Belarus, like many other countries, has faced a demographic problem. Various approaches are being adopted to solve it, but a quick effect cannot be achieved. “We will not solve the problem quickly, so this shortage needs to be compensated for. There is a presidential decree, and the employer’s responsibility is clearly defined. Everything must be the way we respect: cleanliness, order, and law. This is the Belarusian approach. If you want to be and work here, you have to comply. We will attract people only under such conditions: in a limited manner and in those industries where we need it,” the speaker said.
The topic resonated with the audience. Natalya Milenchuk from Pinsk inquired whether attracting migrant workers would lead to an additional social burden and cause social tension in society. Vadim Gigin stressed that this is approached strictly in Belarus. “As for any cultural and religious peculiarities, they [migrants] must certainly respect ours. No one forbids them from adhering to their own. We are not going to restrict anyone, but it must be done with respect for the local residents. And we see understanding here. There will be no social tension. Migrant workers receive wages and make the same payments as you and I do. They pay taxes that are channeled into the social sphere,” the political analyst explained.
Yelena from Pinsk agreed that the country needs more hands for development. It is important for young people to connect their future with their native country. Vadim Gigin believes that quite simple things are required for this. Young people need support, attention, and belief in them at first. Yekaterina Borichevskaya noted that after graduating from university or college many young men and women are ready to stay in their hometown, but may face high housing costs. The Pinsk resident wondered whether additional support measures are being considered to help young specialists with the housing issue.
“Without help, it is impossible to save up for an apartment right away. Rental housing is the solution. It should become more affordable and more widespread. Work is underway to make it happen, and an appropriate program is in place. It is designed to run for a five-year period. People are now wondering about the conditions of use: after living for ten years, there may be an opportunity to obtain ownership. A person will redecorate their home during this time and will not want to move to another apartment. Recently, by a decree of the president and by laws from the parliament, these options have been seriously liberalized. First in rural areas, and we are gradually moving toward a general solution to this matter,” the speaker replied, adding that the state is interested in such an approach.
The young specialist Varvara joined the discussion. “Decree No.631 provides for preferential loans for young specialists who start working outside their place of residence or in rural areas. Is the matter of expanding the program or similar measures for young specialists who return to work at home being considered?” the Pinsk resident asked. Vadim Gigin supported the young woman in her desire to live independently. “We are moving step by step. Introducing each norm, we look at how it works. I consider your proposal reasonable because a young specialist needs aid. A person wants to build their life independently. We will work with the government and municipal authorities,” he assured.
Irina Nenadik turned the conversation in a different direction. The woman pointed out that enterprises employ workers legally, pay taxes, and other mandatory contributions. However, there are unscrupulous employers who employ people unofficially and pay envelope wages to workers. The resident of Pinsk was interested in whether a tougher punishment for such a violation is being considered at the state level. Answering her question, Vadim Gigin stated that all oversight measures have been created in Belarus, and it is unlikely that one will be able to evade punishment for paying envelope wages.
Anna Chizhova touched upon the transition of various services into the digital space. The Pinsk resident agreed that this is very convenient, but she is concerned about the risk of cyber fraudsters gaining access to personal data. “We actively use the internet, buy tickets online, and make doctor’s appointments. I am worried both for myself and for my parents who use these services. I received a full-fledged answer that satisfied me: the state is working on the matter. Despite the fact that there are still many questions in this field, we are moving toward eradicating the problem,” the woman noted. “The conversation turned out to be light, interesting, and straightforward. Serious matters were raised. People touched upon politics, social life, and economy. Answers to all questions were easy to understand so that everyone present in the hall could understand them.”
Residents of Pinsk quite actively discussed the matters by which the country lives and wondered about prospects. For example, Anastasia Vasilevskaya inquired about the factors of Belarus’ economic development in the future. The political analyst explained that it is necessary to increase labor productivity and knowledge intensity, and explore new industries. “We need to explore artificial intelligence, on which the president focuses. Thanks to the construction of the nuclear power plant, a virtually new industry has been launched in Belarus. This is a serious step. It increases knowledge intensity and labor productivity in addition to bringing cheaper and more affordable electricity. An electricity surplus, for example, allows us to create new data processing centers. This is a very serious and promising direction of economic development. We should focus on that. Many underestimate the importance of tourism. Its share in the GDP will increase and new jobs will be created. If more tourists come, there will be more money and the entrepreneurial class will grow,” the speaker cited several examples.
More than 600 people gathered in the city’s House of Culture in Pinsk today. They work in the real sector of the economy, education, culture, trade, sport, healthcare, housing and utilities, energy, industry, and transport. The number included experienced and young specialists.
In the words of Vadim Gigin, the Pulse of the Country project was born “from life”. People share what they think about and what concerns them. These can be issues common to the entire nation, or they may have regional peculiarities. “We see differences in the problems and questions people ask. Pinsk District is a multiconfessional region with its own traditions, even with its own business traditions, located 20km from our southern border. All these factors determine the regional difference,” the speaker remarked.
In his words, matters of peace and security come first for Belarusian society. The residents of Pinsk in the chamber confirmed this as well. The political analyst stated that Belarus adheres to its position and advocates the earliest possible establishment of peace. Naturally, the complicated geopolitical situation in the region affects our country. “We have been hit with sanctions, but we’ve adapted. Economic growth continues steadily. If not for the sanctions, it would be higher. I am convinced that we will not only maintain the situation, but will also preserve the growth of real incomes of the population. However, the republic lacks hands. Workers are often in short supply,” Vadim Gigin noted.
Belarus, like many other countries, has faced a demographic problem. Various approaches are being adopted to solve it, but a quick effect cannot be achieved. “We will not solve the problem quickly, so this shortage needs to be compensated for. There is a presidential decree, and the employer’s responsibility is clearly defined. Everything must be the way we respect: cleanliness, order, and law. This is the Belarusian approach. If you want to be and work here, you have to comply. We will attract people only under such conditions: in a limited manner and in those industries where we need it,” the speaker said.
The topic resonated with the audience. Natalya Milenchuk from Pinsk inquired whether attracting migrant workers would lead to an additional social burden and cause social tension in society. Vadim Gigin stressed that this is approached strictly in Belarus. “As for any cultural and religious peculiarities, they [migrants] must certainly respect ours. No one forbids them from adhering to their own. We are not going to restrict anyone, but it must be done with respect for the local residents. And we see understanding here. There will be no social tension. Migrant workers receive wages and make the same payments as you and I do. They pay taxes that are channeled into the social sphere,” the political analyst explained.
Yelena from Pinsk agreed that the country needs more hands for development. It is important for young people to connect their future with their native country. Vadim Gigin believes that quite simple things are required for this. Young people need support, attention, and belief in them at first. Yekaterina Borichevskaya noted that after graduating from university or college many young men and women are ready to stay in their hometown, but may face high housing costs. The Pinsk resident wondered whether additional support measures are being considered to help young specialists with the housing issue.
“Without help, it is impossible to save up for an apartment right away. Rental housing is the solution. It should become more affordable and more widespread. Work is underway to make it happen, and an appropriate program is in place. It is designed to run for a five-year period. People are now wondering about the conditions of use: after living for ten years, there may be an opportunity to obtain ownership. A person will redecorate their home during this time and will not want to move to another apartment. Recently, by a decree of the president and by laws from the parliament, these options have been seriously liberalized. First in rural areas, and we are gradually moving toward a general solution to this matter,” the speaker replied, adding that the state is interested in such an approach.
The young specialist Varvara joined the discussion. “Decree No.631 provides for preferential loans for young specialists who start working outside their place of residence or in rural areas. Is the matter of expanding the program or similar measures for young specialists who return to work at home being considered?” the Pinsk resident asked. Vadim Gigin supported the young woman in her desire to live independently. “We are moving step by step. Introducing each norm, we look at how it works. I consider your proposal reasonable because a young specialist needs aid. A person wants to build their life independently. We will work with the government and municipal authorities,” he assured.
Irina Nenadik turned the conversation in a different direction. The woman pointed out that enterprises employ workers legally, pay taxes, and other mandatory contributions. However, there are unscrupulous employers who employ people unofficially and pay envelope wages to workers. The resident of Pinsk was interested in whether a tougher punishment for such a violation is being considered at the state level. Answering her question, Vadim Gigin stated that all oversight measures have been created in Belarus, and it is unlikely that one will be able to evade punishment for paying envelope wages.
Anna Chizhova touched upon the transition of various services into the digital space. The Pinsk resident agreed that this is very convenient, but she is concerned about the risk of cyber fraudsters gaining access to personal data. “We actively use the internet, buy tickets online, and make doctor’s appointments. I am worried both for myself and for my parents who use these services. I received a full-fledged answer that satisfied me: the state is working on the matter. Despite the fact that there are still many questions in this field, we are moving toward eradicating the problem,” the woman noted. “The conversation turned out to be light, interesting, and straightforward. Serious matters were raised. People touched upon politics, social life, and economy. Answers to all questions were easy to understand so that everyone present in the hall could understand them.”
Residents of Pinsk quite actively discussed the matters by which the country lives and wondered about prospects. For example, Anastasia Vasilevskaya inquired about the factors of Belarus’ economic development in the future. The political analyst explained that it is necessary to increase labor productivity and knowledge intensity, and explore new industries. “We need to explore artificial intelligence, on which the president focuses. Thanks to the construction of the nuclear power plant, a virtually new industry has been launched in Belarus. This is a serious step. It increases knowledge intensity and labor productivity in addition to bringing cheaper and more affordable electricity. An electricity surplus, for example, allows us to create new data processing centers. This is a very serious and promising direction of economic development. We should focus on that. Many underestimate the importance of tourism. Its share in the GDP will increase and new jobs will be created. If more tourists come, there will be more money and the entrepreneurial class will grow,” the speaker cited several examples.
