MINSK, 26 September (BelTA) – Chair of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Natalya Kochanova told the Belarus 1 TV channel how she sees Belarus in the future, BelTA reports.
“Belarus is not blessed with vast mineral wealth. We have small quantities of oil, and now our oil refineries are exploring new wells. Yet, we have timber, water - something that other countries do not have. But in general, of course, it is not very easy for us to keep our economy on a solid footing. This is in part because we are a welfare state. This means that people in our country have access to free education, healthcare, security, safety. I think that we have a stable economy. Our economic model provides people with jobs, allows our country to fulfill its social commitments. Pension benefits, family benefits, allowances for low-income people - after all, all of this is possible thanks to economy,” noted Natalya Kochanova.
The speaker shared her vision of the future of Belarus. “I have once said: I want my children and grandchildren to live in the country where I live. I really want peace and calm for our country, I would like it to develop in accordance with its traditions. This is very important. There is nothing more valuable than living in your own country - where you are needed, where your roots are, where your parents lived, where everything is dear to you,” Natalya Kochanova emphasized. “You know, wherever I go (and I have visited many countries), I always feel homesick. I want to go home so much that you can’t even imagine! I live in Minsk, and when I come to my home town of Polotsk, I have this warm feeling inside,” she added.