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Lukashenka: Belarus emerging from crisis

Belarus is emerging from the global economic crisis and the consequences of the downturn have not been noticed by the Belarusians in general, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said while staying in the Homyel region this past weekend.

He promised that the average monthly pay would total the equivalent of $500 at the end of this year.

According to the National Statistics Committee, the average monthly salary amounted to 1,158,400 rubels or the equivalent of roughly $386 in May.

Mr. Lukashenka announced that agriculture, education and health workers would get pay hikes in 2011. "We must raise the pay of teachers, doctors, nurses, kindergarten workers. And if we double their pay next year and the country's average pay rises, people will be in a good mood then," the presidential press office quoted him as saying.

Speaking about priority policies for the next five years, Mr. Lukashenka named the improvement of workplace discipline, the development of small and medium-sized urban localities and the improvement of village infrastructure.

He stressed that new jobs must be created in rural areas to discourage local residents from moving into cities.

Mr. Lukashenka warned that public funds would be allocated only for "serious projects," the presidential press office said. //BelaPAN