Aliaksandr Yarashuk: Decree on pensions is blow to authorities' image

The authorities try to use primitive tools to solve the country's financial problems.

The chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU) spoke to charter97.org about Lukashenka's decree on pensions.

“It's obvious why this decision was taken. The first reason is problems with the country's economy, budget and pension funds. The decree is supposed to lessen the burden on the budget and the pension fund. The second reason follows from the social policy conducted in Belarus. Its sense is that the state has a strange, partially Soviet, understanding of employment, employment market and human rights. The Belarusian authorities try to use primitive tools to solve financial and political problems,” the trade union leader said.

He underlined that the decree was a strong blow to the image of the authorities who had been saying for a long time Belarus was a socially oriented state.

“Belarus has not carried out a pension reform. The current pension system is a Soviet one, a solidarity one. Even this system requires a person to work five years to receive pension. He pays enough money to the social protection fund during this period,” the BCDTU leader thinks.

He adds that such actions by the authorities affect tens of thousands of people who need protection.

“We know that there are certain groups of population, for example, mothers with many children, who cannot work these 10 years. Nevertheless, the government, which declares itself the people's authorities, gives another 'present' to people,” Aliaksandr Yarashuk said.

Under Lukashenka's decree No. 389 of September 3, 2013, only Belarusians who have paid contributions to the social protection fund for more than 10 years can receive pensions.