President Lukashenko Dwells on Experiment with Foreign Migrant Workers in Belarus

During a working trip to the Petrikov District, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was informed about an experiment involving the employment of foreign nationals in agriculture, reports BELTA.

"Following your directive regarding migrants, we conducted an experiment. Currently, four Uzbeks are working at one of the farms in the Rechitsa district," said Ivan Krupko, Chairman of the Gomel Regional Executive Committee.

He added that these workers were selected from among twenty candidates before being hired.

"These are our people — Uzbeks," noted Alexander Lukashenko.

Ivan Krupko continued: "They earn roughly 3,000 Belarusian rubles. They work in shifts of 10 hours, on tractors and in various other tasks."

The head of state inquired about their impressions of the work.

"They have disciplined others. Previously, everyone would come late or get nervous; now there is order, and the work of tractor operators and mechanized workers has stabilized," replied Krupko.

He also mentioned that there are plans to attract additional foreign labor resources.

Lukashenko remarked that several hundred thousand people from Ukraine have arrived in Belarus, many recently. "Not all of them settle here; some come to us and then go to the European Union, and so on. That's their choice. But many settle — these are Ukrainians, our people," he said.

"We need to invite them, create all the necessary conditions. People should be attracted. But there must be control. If you arrive and your family, we give you a house, education, healthcare, and other support (provided, ed.). It doesn't matter where you came from. The main thing is that you want to work. Others should see that no one will mess around with them. If you don't want to work, that's fine — we will replace you," the head of state added.