Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Youth Policy and Students, Marharyta Vorykhava, comments on the possible compulsory job assignments for Belarusian university and college graduates to Russia:
“The annual increase in quotas for Belarusian youth in Russian universities, reaching a record 1,300 spots for 2024, is not just about education. This is a strategic move to limit access to democratic values and academic freedoms. It’s also an attempt to more tightly bind Belarus to Russia through a new generation of young, intelligent, and talented people.
By attracting Belarusian students and integrating them into the Russian educational and employment systems, Russia aims to mitigate the effects of its demographic crisis. However, this limits the autonomy of Belarusian youth and turns them into ‘human capital’ for the Russian economy.
This policy is being implemented against the backdrop of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moscow’s attempt to increase control over Belarusian youth and limit their access to European educational and employment opportunities is part of a broader influence and control strategy.
Belarusian youth deserve the right to choose their educational and professional paths without coercion or influence. We are working to expand programs for Belarusian youth to study in European universities and participate in international exchanges”.
Ms. Vorykhava’s full statement in Belarusian is available in the video.
