Belarusians Are About to Face the New Retirement Age Increase

The authorities are going to use the Russian experience.

Belarus has become one of the leading countries with the fastest decline in the able-bodied population.

It is worth noting that the number of able-bodied population in our country has been decreasing for several years. Experts claim that it's stipulated by the aging and the fact that Belarusians have to go abroad to earn money.

Leanid Sudalenka, the legal inspector of labour of the Independent Trade Union of Radio and Electronic Industry (REP), answers questions of Charter97.org:

- Let's start with the first reason, which caused Belarus to become the leader among countries with the fastest labor force loss - the aging. I'd like to note that population decline in our country is the phenomenon that cannot but be noticed. To date, the ageing is indeed a matter of concern.

Average life expectancy in Belarus is lower than in the EU countries. Plus, unfortunately, Belarusian men often do not live up to the retirement age. There is a number of reasons: ecology, nutrition, alcohol abuse and so on.

The second reason for the loss of the able-bodied population is the mass outflow abroad. If earlier Belarusians used to go to Russia to work, now the vector has changed and directed to EU countries: Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic. It is easy for Belarusians to get a work visa to these countries and the risk to face an dishonest employer who does not pay is less. There are a lot of cases when people in the Russian Federation were just "screwed". A person worked for a month or even a few, but did not get a penny.

The European labor market is now very attractive for Belarusians, who were palmed off with promises of "five-hundred-dollar salaries". Such a salary or even several times more is earned in Drazdy, ministries and departments, but the working people don't earn $200-300, especially if you are 50-100 kilometers away from Minsk.

The salary of $300 is a "decent" salary and people are waiting for it. That's why people go to work for 1000 euros in Poland. Why should young people sit still here? Of course, they want to explore life in other countries.

- What, in your opinion, can the trend of decline in the number of able-bodied population lead to?

- Obviously, labor is one of the main resources for production in the economy. It is clear that the shortage of workers will bear a disastrous impact on the economy, which is already in the condition we all know about.

Among other things, the decline in the able-bodied population is associated with a deficit in the Social Security Fund (SSF), which allocated pensions and benefits, as well as with the aggravation of the economic crisis.

The retirement age has already been increased by five years for women and by three years for men. I guess it's not the end. The Belarusian authorities will follow the example of the Russian ones - men will retire at the age of 65 and women at the age of 63.

In general, social benefits will be reduced, pensions will not grow, since the SSF is based on contributions of able-bodied Belarusians. If wages are not growing, the same happens to the SSF. This is the chain reaction. Everyone makes his own conclusions.

- You say that the authorities chose the retirement age increase as the main "tool". What could you offer in this situation?

- You know, when the country is in crisis, it's hard to say what comes first. The country does not create jobs, investments are not made, the economy is not reformed. No one will give a penny for an unreformed economy, only the state.

Let's take Gomselmash, which is a large labour exchange supported by the government. Who does buy combine harvesters now? No one! The state just buy them out and hands out to collective and state farms. Such enterprises as Gomselmash have no prospects.

In general, the economy strives for urgent reforms. There is no other option. We have examples of many countries, including neighboring Poland, which was in the same economic conditions with Belarus in the 90s. Now you see their average salary level, while in 2009 Lukashenka promised "five-hundred-dollar salaries", but the same old song is playing in 2019.

Again, only reforms can contribute to the economy and there is no need to reinvent the wheel! If reforms are implemented, it will result in new jobs and investments. But all this requires reforms. It is obvious that the current government will not acept them. It is afraid of it.

- Who will risk losing their jobs amid an escalating crisis?

- First of all, it relates to low-skilled specialists, as well as those employed in the industry, as this area has been decreasing over the years. If layoffs take place, it will primarily affect the unskilled labor force.

You don't have to be a genius to realize that layoffs will be of mass character. Although, the authorities are afraid of them, because then people will take to the streets.

You know, those of you who can still work abroad, I'd advise to pack your bags and keep it up. Those who can't do it for various reasons should try to become self-employed. Enterprises which are still afloat have no future.

- In case of mass layoffs, these people will be added to the "parasite" list...

- As for "parasites", I'd like to say, although the Charter-97 has already written about it, that the resident of Brahin Uladzimir Teremetski managed to get an expulsion from the list. There is one "parasite" less in the list!

You know, I was really looking forward to the first trial under the new decree. I wanted to raise a question so that the court would initiate a review of the scandalous decree for compliance with the Constitution before the Constitutional Court, but the commission backtracked.

Nevertheless, I'm waiting for another "parasite" to bring the case till final victory.