‘Social Parasites’ Vs ‘Dawdles’ In Government

Belarusians are outraged by the revised version of Lukashenka's decree.

The Ministry of Labor told about the project of the updated decree on "social parasites", which stirred up the whole of Belarus and became the catalyst for many thousands of protest actions back in spring.

The new version of the scandalous document assumes that the "parasites" will fully pay for the services that are currently being subsidized by the state.

It turns out that now visits to hospital will cost a lot of money for the "parasites", and in the cold season the unemployed will receive "modified utility bills".

Representative of the Belarusian National Congress in Slonim, former enterpreneur Victar Marchyk commented on the revised decree specially for the Charter97.org:

— I do not understand these "innovations" at all. No normal person will understand this. We have free health care in our country, there is no compulsory insurance. Does this mean that if a person feels bad in the street, they will not be admitted to the hospital? Will they first take wallets out of people’s pockets and then actually treat the patients?

Let's look at the situation in the country, we have a whole army of unemployed people registered in the labor registry office. What do they offer there? Some menial work for a penny. Belarusians would agree to such work if there was a decent salary. But the current salary is enough only to pay taxes and fees. Naturally, people do not want to take such a job, they are looking for some other source of income, they go abroad. But not all the people can leave. Instead of assistance from the state, whose direct duty is to help its citizens, people find themselves on the list of "social parasites".

Some people live on subsidiary farming. A man lost his job — he lives with what he has grown in the garden. How will he pay for medical services? They have no money.

"Social parasites" are not the only the ones who found themselves in a difficult situation. Look at what is happening in our country with retired people. They give the last money to their children, help them pay off loans to which young families are attracted. Ordinary Belarusians cannot cope with the "credit burden" in any way, that's why the elderly people have to help.

— How far can the authorities go with this revised “parasitic” decree?

— The authorities are trying to present this decree as "the return of social justice", they say, someone in our country is working hard, and some remain idle. There’s not a flick of justice here. Let them first give people the opportunity to earn money. If after somebody shies away from work — then we sit down and talk about such laws.

But when the country is heavily in debt, when our foreign policy reminds begging, what kind of "parasites" can we talk about? Provide work, a good salary - only then ask.

The authorities refer to the fact that the USSR had a similar law, but then at least there was work. You go to the plant - you are hired the next day. And they try to convince us that Belarusians are lazy. We have a very hardworking and talented people. We simply do not want to be slaves who "work" for a bowl of lentil soup.

— It seems that some sort of a caste system appeared in our country...

— Quite right, we have a caste of" confidants "who are in power, those who have warmed themselves up a lukewarm place and drink labor blood. There is another caste — "parasites". The are trying to "shake out" the last penny from these people.

Of course, when you want to live in a luxury, eat croissants with French cheese, go to the Canaries, then you need to look for someone who has the money to pull it from them. Once these funds were generously given by the IMF, Russia threw in this "bottomless well" billions of dollars, which, instead of being used for the revival of our economy, were wasted and stolen.

— Not all the people are willing to put up with hat is happening. Kashtan workers rebel in Homel, the Glass Fiber Factory in Polatsk announced a strike.

— A real serfdom in the form of the contract system exists in Belarus. This is a noose around the worker's neck, people do not know how to deal with it. But there is a way out! If something happens at an enterprise — it is necessary that everyone should rise up. We stop production — and we go out to protest, everyone starts a strike. It is necessary to make demands to the management of enterprises. One of the requirements should be that if at least one of the workers is dismissed, the enterprise announces an indefinite strike. No one will get hurt, because without the work of so many people no enterprise can function. Workers must make them respect their rights, only then will we wake up in a free country.