Meeting with leadership of Council of Ministers

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko held a meeting with the leadership of the Council of Ministers in Minsk on 23 October.

The format of the event is traditional, as the head of state regularly holds such meetings with the government.

"Before making the most significant decisions, or those that strongly resonate in our society, we meet with you to consult. While making decisions, it is important for me to receive additional information from the initiators of particular issues," the President noted.

This time, four pressing issues were on the agenda. They included the further development of the Belarusian Railways, the master's degree system at Belarusian universities, the organization of the school meal system, and youth support.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: "There is no doubt that the railway is the most important enterprise not only of the transport industry but of our entire country. Tens of millions of tonnes of freight are transported by rail every year. Those are raw materials, imports, and exports. It is the cheapest and safest mode of transportation for people. And although passenger transportation is more of a social aspect rather than a commercial aspect of the work, it is necessary to develop both."

He stated that due to sanctions as well as the situation in Ukraine where several Belarusian freight trains have been literally seized as if by pirates and are being held, it was necessary to radically transform the traffic flow, come up with new logistics solutions, and get mobilized as a whole. Although revenues have decreased, Belarusian Railways' shipping business remains profitable.

"According to the reports I am getting, the financial state of the enterprise is now exacerbated by the high cost of servicing the loans taken out for the sake of infrastructure projects and for buying new rolling stock," the head of state noted.

In order to stabilize the situation, an executive order on state support for Belarusian Railways has been drafted.

"At first glance I guess we should help. But let's decide how we will provide this aid if we will at all. On the whole, I once again warn you in public: stop coming here for the sake of money. Cut it out. Worker collectives and competences are available. In this case you have trains, automobiles, aircraft, helicopters, and the rest. Fly and move!" Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

"This is why let's find out whether the problems are really caused by external factors. Today there are none and there cannot be any. I warned you about it many years ago. Or whether the problems stem from shortcomings and negligent attitudes of the leaders of the industry and of Belarusian Railways towards their responsibilities. Is it possible that they are our poorest people? Poorer than those in agriculture or in Vitebsk Oblast? Everyone says they are not. Then why have you come to me?" the head of state wondered.

The President remarked that it is also necessary to understand what measures to resolve the problems have already been implemented by the government and what effect these measures have produced.

"When I say that we have to support the railway, I recall recent reports from law enforcement agencies. I think we've put quite many executives behind bars. And they have come to ask for money from the state budget or some other aid (a deferral, an installment plan)," the head of state noted. "And I also wonder whether they have sufficiently reduced spending. If you cannot, then you have to reduce spending. Once you start 'dying', then you should come and we will think what to do about you."

Aleksandr Lukashenko said he wanted a report on whether everything had been calculated, whether the suggested measures would secure financial stability, and whether the enterprise might have to once again ask for money later on.

The President inquired about the current state of the master's degree system given the previously adopted decisions. "Several years ago we had a serious discussion on this topic and agreed: no Bologna Process. Our own education system is good," the Belarusian leader said.

The head of state recalled that at one time, the Bologna Process was popular, promoted by certain figures. The idea was to train "jack-of-all-trades specialists" who would be in demand abroad. "I remember that conversation. Are you going to train people at Belarusian universities to work abroad?" he asked.

Aleksandr Lukashenko drew attention to the fact that many foreign students study in Belarus and would like to pursue a master's degree program. "Fine, let's do it this way. They pay for all types of programs, including the master's. You can study in the program for as long as you want. It's your money, so we will teach you. After that, you can work wherever you like," the President said.

As for the training of domestic specialists in master's degree programs, Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that it was decided that master's students would be those who would subsequently engage in science and teaching.

"What is the current situation? I would like the education minister to provide clear and unambiguous information on this matter," the President said.

During a meeting with the leadership of the Council of Ministers, Aleksandr Lukashenko reviewed the current school meals system. The head of state reiterated his close personal oversight of the matter: "I have repeatedly warned you: robbing children and poisoning them with poor-quality food is criminal. And I then instructed you to develop a proper system."

He went on saying: "I would like to hear what has been done in this regard."

Despite official assurances that everything is okay, Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that it remains difficult to know what is being cooked in schools, how it is made, and by whom. "It's impossible to control this," the President remarked, explaining why a clear system needed to be established.

The head of state also highlighted the problem of waste, stating that half the food is thrown away. He challenged officials with a series of questions: "Is this okay? What have we done to prevent this? How will we feed children so that the food is tasty, healthy, and stays warm?"

Aleksandr Lukashenko reaffirmed the "colossal" scale of government spending on school meals, noting that he had once made a pivotal decision precisely to preserve this essential service.