Фото: пресс-служба Лукашенко
Alyaksandr Lukashenka, during today’s government report on the performance of the economy, drew attention to wage growth outpacing labour productivity. He said that economic flows must be balanced.
“In essence, this is the quintessence of all economic programmes. Each of them invariably sets the correct goal — improving the well-being of the population. Qualitative growth must be ensured by effective labour,” he said.
In 2025, he said, labour productivity increased by 1%, while real wages (adjusted for inflation) rose by 9%. The annual average amounted to 2,693 rubles, or 886 dollars.
“Moreover, this trend has been going on for more than one year. What is the price of such well-being that we put forward as an achievement?” he said.
It should be recalled that in the second half of the previous decade a rule was introduced requiring wage growth not to exceed labour productivity growth. However, in April 2020, amid the pandemic and the approaching electoral campaign, the government decoupled wage growth from labour productivity. Later, the rule was reinstated, but in 2022 the Council of Ministers suspended the requirement to link wages to productivity growth until further notice.
Lukashenka noted that the current ratio between productivity growth and wage growth stands at 0.93.
“On the one hand, you assure us that wages help retain the necessary personnel. But in terms of labour productivity we lag two to three times behind developed countries. So perhaps we should increase returns?” he said.
In recent years, Belarus has seen historically low unemployment levels. Economists note a labour shortage, which stimulates wage growth. In recent years, the authorities have also taken measures to involve pensioners in the economy — working pensioners once again began receiving their pensions in full. The country is also attracting labour migrants.
Lukashenka stressed that he is not calling for cutting workers’ incomes, but believes that economic flows must be balanced.
“I am not calling for a blanket cut (as we know how to do) in the incomes of working people. I demand that all flows in the economy be balanced. So that later we do not have to heroically correct mistakes or, worse, leave them to future managers,” he said.
Lukashenka also noted that there are organisations where people earn one and a half minimum wages, or about 1,100 rubles after tax. There are around 150 such organisations in the country, employing about 7,000 people. Among them are educational centres, construction companies and even a polyclinic.
“How should this fact be assessed? As low-skilled labour, legalised slavery, or tax evasion and wages paid under the table?” he said, instructing that these organisations be inspected and, where possible, that workers be transferred to other enterprises.