“World Is Now A Better Place, Comrades”: Kabiakou Is Citing Growth Of Belarusians’ Income

Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kabiakou gives an upbeat assessment of the last five years.

On June 19, the Premier said that in “The Main Air” program on the Belarus 1 TV channel, reports tut.by.

He added that the five-year rates were allegedly better during the first three years of the five-year plan, but “in connection with certain circumstances, primarily associated with our main trade and economic partners,” they had to be adjusted to the smaller side.

– Nevertheless, the general result is positive, – the Prime Minister concluded.

Kabiakou has also somehow spotted “the growth of Belarusians’ real income.”

– Whatever they say, our salary has decreased in the US dollar equivalent in comparison with the beginning of the five-year period. This is true, but the real incomes have grown in comparison with 2010 by 32%, real wages – by 41.5%, adjusted for inflation.

– It’s turned up to be lower, than we expected, well, external factors have made it so, – Andrei Kabiakou said. – Well, probably there are issues where we could have done more. By the way, it is also in the program. It says about the drawbacks of our administrative decisions that have made our results poorer than they could be.

We remind that none of the eleven most important indicators, registered in the program of socio-economic development of Belarus for 2011-2015, has been fulfilled.

It was assumed, in particular, that during this period, the GDP would increase by 62-68%, in fact it has increased by only 5.9%.

The industrial production has increased by 4.6% within five years, with the number specified as 54-60%, the labor productivity – by 10.7% instead of the planned 63-68%.

The assignments for the eight other key indicators of socio-economic development haven’ t been fulfilled either: export growth, permanent investment, housing, real incomes.

The 5th “All-Belarusian People's Assembly,” where the delegates are to approve the program of socio-economic development for 2016-2020, will be held in Minsk on 22-23 June.