Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 25 January (BelTA) – The government takes well-thought-out measures to develop the society via the economic independence of citizens. The opinion was voiced by Nikolai Shchekin, Head of the Political and Economic Sociology Center at the Sociology Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), as he commented on the Population Employment Assistance Ordinance signed by the Belarus president on 25 January.

The expert said: “The state takes well-thought-out measures to stabilize and develop the civil society via the independence of our citizens, primarily economic independence. It is the primary goal of the ordinance. Its implementation will allow municipal government agencies to give jobs to every Belarusian, who wants one. Helping everyone interested in getting a job is the main idea of this document.”

According to Nikolai Shchekin, the Population Employment Assistance Ordinance stipulates that municipal government agencies are responsible for helping individuals find jobs. Permanent commissions will be set up to help achieve the goal. The commissions are supposed to approach every case individually. Further steps to implement the ordinance will also become kind of an indicator for evaluating the performance of municipal government agencies, said Nikolai Shchekin.

The expert also remarked that the Belarusian society now feels the need to get rid of certain economic immaturity of citizens. The government is interested in the establishment of a financially independent society where social justice principles will be secured.

Nikolai Shchekin reminded that a serious package of documents was adopted in Belarus last year to liberalize business operation terms. Helping Belarusians find jobs by encouraging them to start their own businesses is one of the key functions of that ordinance. Presidential decrees on regulating activities of individuals, arts and crafts, and the development of farm and ecological tourism should be mentioned in that regard. They expanded the previous lists of activities by allowing a considerably larger number of citizens to realize their potential.