Stanislau Bahdankevich: Minimum Salary Is To Be $ 1500 With Such Prices
- 9.12.2016, 14:59
The former head of the National Bank does not understand how it was possible to push the economy over the edge.
Not so long ago, Minister of Economy Uladzimir Zinouski told reporters that it was a hard task to reach the level of the average salary in 2017. At the same time the official did not teach how to survive on 350-370 dollars, if people spend about 60-70 rubles just during one trip to the shop, buying the most standard set of products. And people want to buy some new clothes regularly. And to spend their vacations at the sea – preferably with the whole family. But utility charges are increasing, mobile service is getting more expensive. The children's clothes would cost at least half a salary...
– Today, you should have at least $ 1,000 a month to feel more or less comfortable, – former head of the National Bank, Doctor of Economics Stanislau Bahdankevich honestly told Belarusian Partisan. – And it’s even better – 1500.
Why do officials today talk only about the average salary of 500 dollars? Because it is to be a significant growth compared to today's average salary. But in order to achieve this indicator there should be a huge increase of labour efficiency, economic growth. In my opinion, it's not real. More correctly, it is possible to achieve such figures in only one way: to reduce the excessive number of workers at state enterprises. If to fire about 20 percent of workers and divide the wages fund for the rest – that would be $ 500, maybe even a little more. The question arises, what to do with those, who would be thrown out onto the street ... That’s why the power is very cautious and tries to keep the excess number, in order to prevent unemployment.
We need to solve this problem in the complex. We need deep changes in the economy. It seems to me, that the government understands that it is necessary to do it, as well. Some officials take a stand for changing the management structure of state-owned enterprises. Today, the pride of place goes not to the gross output, but to the profit, profitability, efficiency, competitiveness. And the directors should be let off the leash. They themselves should determine the policy of development of enterprises, without reference to the ministries and departments. Then the directors will be interested in accomplishing identified goals – their salary will depend on that.
This is the direction we need to start moving in, at the same time changing the attitude to the property, the primacy of law. It is also necessary to reform the legal system, support small and medium-sized businesses, cancel these stupid taxes on parasitism. In short, we need a good program of global reforms, which we, unfortunately, have not got...
Frankly speaking, our situation is extremely difficult. This is especially noticed by representatives of small and medium-sized businesses. People have become poor, the demand for goods decreased. Alas, it is our reality today. The life in Belarus has deteriorated significantly.
As for how to live on $ 500, I really do not know how to do it. If there are two people in the family and each one gets 500 – then it’s more or less possible to hold out, if they have their own housing.
And if there are 500 for two – I can’t imagine how people survive...
But they manage to live somehow, even on less money! They ‘ve adjusted. Our people are like that ...