Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 15 March (BelTA) – The work of public bodies should be transparent and understandable to people, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at the session held on 15 March to discuss certain issues in the social sector, budget and finance, BelTA has learned.

Partaking in the session were Vice Premier Natalia Kochanova, Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Valery Mitskevich, Minister of Labor and Social Security Marianna Shchetkina, and Finance Minister Vladimir Amarin.

The session focused on the operation of the Social Security Fund, the payment and size of pension benefits and child allowances, the possibility to increase pension benefits. The participants of the session also discussed employment issues, creation of new jobs in every region. Minister of Labor and Social Security Marianna Shchetkina informed the President about the prospects of employment for disabled people. The session also focused on the employment of university and college graduates.

Apart from that, Alexander Lukashenko was informed about the timely payment of salaries, emerging difficulties and ways to solve them. The head of state asked about the situation in labor teams. The President stressed that every person should have an opportunity to work. In this context, it is essential to retain labor teams and jobs. Therefore, employers and trade unions should do their best to recruit personnel. According to Marianna Shchetkina, the process of personnel optimization is underway at a number of enterprises, but this process should go on in compliance with corresponding personnel and business planning programs. Every person should have a job.

Alexander Lukashenko also focused on the need to support people: people should not be fired, it is essential to provide jobs to them.

According to Marianna Shchetkina, the session focused on the ways to increase labor efficiency of public bodies. The participants of the session had to decide whether it is needed to optimize the functions of public bodies. There was an opinion that it is needed to revise and optimize these functions taking into account modern realities and the requirements of the state. All budget expenses should be calculated. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the decision to optimize functions should be a balanced one, it is inadmissible to cut jobs without a reason.

The session also focused on the efficiency of work with people’s petitions to local authorities, ministries and government agencies. The President demanded to thoroughly consider all petitions prioritizing the interests of people in accordance with the national legislation without formalism and red tape.

The head of state also asked about the progress in the discussion of the pension system development scenarios, corresponding proposals of people and the teams of workers. Marianna Shchetkina reminded that in view of the forthcoming transformations in the pension system there are plans to create at least 50,000 jobs. These issues are in the center of attention of the government.

The participants of the session also discussed the prospects of entrepreneurship development in the country. Alexander Lukashenko urged to create necessary conditions for entrepreneurship, private business. People should have an opportunity to work, earn money and pursue their opportunities.

Besides, Finance Minister Vladimir Amarin informed the President about the implementation of the budget in the first months of 2016. Alexander Lukashenko gave an instruction to ensure full and timely fulfillment of all social obligations.