News & Events in Belarus

Belarusian government criticized for lack of support for science

MINSK, 3 December (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out the lack of the government’s support for science 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.

The head of state criticized the shortcomings in the activities of the NASB, but also emphasized that these issues apply not only to the Academy of Sciences, but also to the State Committee on Science and Technology and appropriate ministries. "Maybe they apply to them first of all," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. "Why does the State Committee fulfill its coordinating and controlling role? This is the main function, for which it was created."

According to the president, the analysis of scientific projects shows that ministries do not actually engage in them. They are practically absent among the customers. "This is a huge shortcoming of the government. Do the industries have no demand for scientific development?" the head of state asked rhetorically. “Roman Golovchenko [Belarusian Prime Minister], the government works like timeservers: from day to evening, and that's all. What about the future? It is impossible to move forward without science."

"Why have we farmed out such popular and most state-funded areas as drone production, space, digital and biotechnology to the Academy of Sciences?” the president added. “It is the customer, executor and controller itself. How can we deal with these areas without specialists who understand what the economy needs?"

The president noted that there is no result and no one is to blame.

"Research for the sake of research, if it does not meet the country's development objectives, is a labor of Sisyphus," he concluded.

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