Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Our country is setting new abysmal records. One of them is the shortage of qualified personnel across the country. In February 2023, there was a shortage of almost 103,000 workers in various industries throughout Belarus, and this number is growing. Stores, schools, and hospitals in villages and towns are closing because they have no one to employ. Against this backdrop, officials call for creating new jobs.
These calls are counterintuitive and have nothing to do with reality. The reality in Belarus is that doctors, lawyers, and psychologists are being detained throughout the country, mass layoffs are taking place at enterprises, and people are being persecuted for following "wrong" online channels or commenting on the internet. Moreover, with a salary of a teacher or nurse, one can't provide for oneself, let alone a child. Instead of facilitating economic growth, the government only creates problems. This is the answer to the question of why the best talents are leaving the country.
Educated, intelligent, and talented Belarusians are leaving for other countries and bringing benefits to them, paying taxes there, living in safety, under no pressure, and without unpaid community work. There, people find what they can't have in Belarus – decent pay, respect, and protection of their rights.
Because empty promises from officials are not what Belarusians need”.
