Lukashenka believes there’s no turmoil yet

Alyaksandr Lukashenka explained at a meeting with journalists of state-run media why salaries has gone down in the country – in order for people not to buy dollars.

Under current conditions, the main thing is stable economy, not salaries, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said.

Speaking about talks that Alyaksandr Lukashenka decreased payment of state-paid workers for the first time, the Belarusian ruler said: “I didn’t decline salaries, but increased them, but not by 25 per cent, only by 5. The situation will be normal tomorrow – we’ll increase wages by 5 per cent and then by 25 per cent. It may seem strange, but today, the main thing is not salary, but stability of the ruble, financial system, and economy. Economy and stability are employment opportunities for people. Millions of people work for our economy sector.”

Lukashenka also noted: “If a huge sum of Belarusian money is spent for society, where it will be spent on? People will exchange rubles for dollars, we will face lack of dollars, what will we do then? Then turmoil will start. It is not a dance to IMF’s tune. They are right: you are asking for $2-billion loans that will be absorbed by ruble mass. They are absolutely right. We are asking and they are dictating certain conditions. In this case, they haven’t put any impossible requirements.”