"Pension Trap" May Shut In Drazdy

After changes in the country everything will come to norm.

Just in couple of years the pension insurance record of Belarusians has increased by more than ten years. It's taken into account when determination of the right to labour pension. Until 2014 it equaled to 5 years, but since 1 January 2014 it has increased to ten years and in a year - to fifteen. In 2015 it already equaled to 15 years and 6 months. Since the beginning of 2017 the pension insurance record was raised for other six months; now it is 16 years. The bar will increase by six months annually until it reaches 20 years.

Thousands of people are hostages of circumstance and try to make ends meet. Charter97.org asked representative of REP Trade Union Zinaida Mikhnyuk to explain the "social state" phenomenon and why pensioners were equated with "spongers".

- I'm also pensioner and earn 194rubles with 39 years of work experience. The salary at the enterprise I worked on was not high, in addition they do not include years of education, maternity leave. These are figures.

Today all decisions and laws are not in favor of ordinary pensioners. Officials hope for a large pension and various "bonuses". Therefore, they ignore ordinary people. And people who sit in offices and charge a pension have to blush and hide their eyes. They do not dare watch pensioners in the eye, who receive pennies. Apparently officials do not think that everything can change in our country and then the "pension trap" will shut in Drazdy. What is the situation in the country? People are driven into despair while working, and it continues when they retire.

I have recently been to Pinsk court and represented interests of our Trade Union's member. I told about problems of employees, and I saw how much people were interested in it. People on the suburban train say: "How much one should detest the people, that Belarusians leave for work abroad, risk their lives, children do not see fathers, wives miss their husbands."

Right on such subarban train the vox populi is heard. On the eve of the 100th anniversary of BPR we celebrate on March 25, the fact that people, at least at a simple level, are being aware of those we deal with is positive. The brash authorities have no chance with such people.

- During last year's protests people noted that pensioners who were considered" Lukashenka's electorate" turned into true enemies of the dictators. Have you noticed a shift of mood among pensioners?

- I agree with you. I was very impressed by "sponger" protests last year. Especially I remember the rally in Pinsk, when a woman shared her story with independent journalists. She worked 40 years in a cultural sphere and her pension was 190 rubles. And then she started shouting: "People! I want to live, not to survive! Don't be afraid, we have no more space to step back." I was not present at the rally, and I was crying when I saw it on TV. The person rose from knees and made a statement to the whole country. I really like the fact that it was the activist of our Trade Union. She worked at one of the largest enterprises in Brest, but she missed some labour experience to get a decent pension. But she is so confident that the situation will change in the country and everything will be brought into compliance and justice will triumph. We, Trade Unions, stand and fight for rights of people who have found themselves in difficult straits. We want pensioners to have some minimum. A decent one. You know, I'm glad to see the result of my Trade Union's activity. People change thanks to Charter-97, thanks to other independent media, thanks to people's solidarity.

I wish the 100th anniversary of BPR to become the starting point in minds of people, so that people could understand that we are power, not a handful of big guns. And officials I address to you: remember, the pension is just around the corner!