Leanid Zaika: Let the Minister herself take a second job

The Belarusian leadership must recognize that model of a social oriented economy in Belarus has failed.

On Wednesday, 18 June, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Belarus Maryianna Shchetkina, during a visit to Hrodna shoe factory "Neman", noted that there would be no increased social support to Belarusian families that year and advised the Belarusians "spin around" and work on two jobs.

Leanid Zaika, the leader of Strategy analysis center, commented on Minister's statement.

"I would advise Mrs. Maryianna Shchetkina to find a second part-time job as the head of the National Bank of Belarus. It would be a good example to all employees of Hrodna shoe factory. But, joking aside, the Minister must recognize that model of a social oriented economy in Belarus has failed. Today, the country has a decreased real income of population and increased unemployment. There are 170 CVs for 100 vacancies. In such a situation, the State must not reduce or hold on to social benefits, but rather increase them with a view to increase people's purchasing power and thus stimulate demand for consumer products and, as a consequence, recovery of the economy as a whole. This model was proposed back in 30s of the last century by the British economist John Maynard Keynes, and was successfully used by the "Keynesians" in the West. But, probably, our Minister of Labour and Social Protection is not so competent... But in the electoral sense her words on the eve of the elections have been a big mistake, undermining prestige of her leadership", he pointed out.