On July 15, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on the implementation of agreements to expand interregional cooperation reached during his visit to Belarus. Particular attention was paid to the employment of Uzbeks in Belarus, the Uzbek president’s press service reported.
Mirziyoyev stressed the importance of implementing within a short period the agreements reached during his visit to Belarus on July 8-9.
The Uzbek authorities propose drawing up lists of citizens and entrepreneurs for work in Belarus and sending them to the country in an organised manner, “having agreed in advance and resolved with the Belarusian side issues concerning jobs, living conditions, and the allocation of premises and land plots required for the project”.
Mirziyoyev was briefed on cooperation between the Vitsyebsk and Andijan regions, with 255 Uzbek citizens arriving in the Vitsyebsk region for employment on July 13. From September, plans call for 500 residents of the Andijan region to be provided with jobs in the Vitsyebsk region each month. A total of 5,000 Uzbeks are expected to be sent to the Vitsyebsk region.
Particular attention was paid to the employment of Uzbeks in Belarus. At the first stage, 1,100 workers are expected to be sent to Belarus. They will work at 13 enterprises in the Vitsyebsk and other regions.
The Uzbek president instructed officials to assist entrepreneurs in opening bank accounts in Belarus, transferring funds to authorised capital and attracting financial resources for their projects.
Mirziyoyev stressed that “every agreement reached must be translated into a specific project, a new enterprise, additional trade volumes and decent jobs”.
As a reminder, 255 Uzbek citizens arrived in Vitsyebsk on July 13 to work in Belarus. They had been promised salaries of $900-$1,000, but upon arrival it emerged that employers were prepared to pay only $500, while workers would have to cover accommodation and food costs themselves. The Uzbeks expressed outrage at the conditions offered, and some said they wanted to return home.
