Lukashenko on the achievements of sovereign Belarus: we have never lived as well as we do now

Topic news April 24, MINSK . HEAD of State ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO , speaking about the achievements of sovereign Belarus in his speech at the meeting of the VII All-Belarusian People's Assembly, emphasized that Belarusians have never lived as well as they do now, BELTA correspondent reports. Belarusians are a strong nation, the President said. And to maintain this status, you need to become even stronger. At the forefront is a strong economy , which is a consequence of the right geopolitical choice, the head of state emphasized.

Alexander Lukashenko recalled an aphorism about the Soviet past, which was born against the backdrop of the devastation of the 1990s: “Those who applauded liberal reforms (and ours too) and criticized the Soviet system, suddenly saw the light and began to remember how well we lived.”
“So that we don’t ever have to say the same about our time with you, comparing it with some other humanitarian catastrophe, let’s honestly admit: we have never lived as well as we do now,” the President said. “Of course, we could and better, but we don’t have what, for example, the Emirates and RUSSIA have (such mineral reserves. - BELTA’s note). This is not why we diverted the people from this a third of a century ago in order not to rush into revolutionary transformations. abyss. And they took me away."

Now the real cash income of Belarusians is 10 times higher than the level of the mid-1990s. “I know what the reaction to this thesis will be. Some write that 10 times in 30 years is not so much. But I will emphasize: real income, backed by real opportunities to buy, save, and relax,” the head of state noted.
The growth of income, according to the President, was, of course, restrained by sanctions . “Yes, without them, that is, in the embrace of those who brought them against us - the West and America, there was a chance to get rich. But not everyone. Only a few Belarusians,” noted Alexander Lukashenko. “We did everything not to allow for excessive stratification of society into the poor and the rich. Even if not everyone understands this, not everyone accepts it, but we did what we promised to the people. And we did it as best we could and let others do it better after us!”

When comparing the conditions in which the country developed and the results obtained, it becomes obvious: there are reasons for pride. “Knowing, like no one else, geopolitical risks, weighing our geographic and resource capabilities with the efforts that we have made together, I am proud of our achievements,” the President emphasized.


The head of state thanked everyone who in the 1990s brought the country out of the crisis, bringing it back from the abyss.
The President admitted the possibility that representatives of the younger generation, who were born and raised in prosperous Belarus and did not know the life and difficulties of the 1990s, would not be touched by such an excursion into history: “And this is good. This means that we, the older generation, have something to present to the young generation in the year of our 30th anniversary (we are talking about the 30th anniversary of the presidency. - BELTA note). We did not just overcome the difficulties that fell on our shoulders. We did it quickly and efficiently - so that the generation 30+ today is confident that Belarusians. "They always lived exactly the way they do now. We are glad that they have such a life."

Food security ensured

“We can talk a lot about how during the formation of sovereign Belarus we ate potatoes and bread. MEAT andfish were festive dishes. Bananas and tangerines were generally seen once a year. And that's not all. And now? The financial capabilities of Belarusians (as economists say, the purchasing power of income) have grown significantly,” stated Alexander Lukashenko. He supported his words with specific examples. Thus, in the mid-1990s, income would have been enough for about 20 kg of beef or pork, which is still needed it was possible to get it in conditions of shortage. And now it is more than 100 kg (an increase of 4-5 times). Then 13-14 kg of cheese or butter were available, now it is more than 46-48 kg (an increase of more than 3 times).
“The issues of food security have been fully resolved in the country,” the head of state emphasized. Thus, the level of self-sufficiency in Belarus in MILK and dairy products is over 260%. “What is 260%? This is an opportunity to feed two and a half Belaruss,” explained Alexander Lukashenko. “According to other indicators, we can provide almost one and a half of Belarus with meat and meat products.”

In terms of per capita production of grain and vegetables, our country is among the top five among CIS countries. Although back in the 1990s, Belarus bought grain from the Czech Republic to feed the population, and parents the current fugitives stood against it and asked the Czech Republic not to give grain to Belarus. “I quote: ‘Oh, hell, they’re dead,’” Alexander Lukashenko recalled. “But we survived.

” We are ready to make our significant contribution to ensuring food security around the world. As you know, the Secretary General of the United Nations is also in favor of this,” the President added.
Citizens of the country can increasingly afford to buy a new car

. Continuing the conversation about the country’s achievements and improving the quality of life of people, the head of state recalled that a third of a century ago Modern household appliances were a luxury for Belarusians; they saved for a TV for years; exceptional people drove their own cars. And now these “exceptional people” have cars for different occasions: for walking, for fishing, and so on.

In 1990, citizens had cars. There were a little more than half a million cars in use in Belarus, and in 2023 - over 3 million (5.5 times more). That is, for every third resident of the country, including infants, there is a car.


“What is important: Belarusians can afford more and more. and allow the purchase of a new car,” Alexander Lukashenko noted. Moreover, queues are already forming both within the country and abroad to purchase new cars produced in Belarus.

With the support of the People's Republic of CHINA, Belarus managed to create its own passenger car. In 2023, almost 70 thousand cars were produced and sold.

Advances in medicine, maternal and child HEALTH

The President recalled how in the 1990s Belarus lacked qualified doctors, teachers, scientists (they rushed to the markets to trade in order to survive), housing, schools, hospitals were deteriorating, and new social facilities were not built.

However, over the period 1994-2022, the number of outpatient clinics almost doubled, and now there are 2,660 institutions.
  “In the field of healthcare, Belarus occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of accessibility of medical services for the population - WHO statement,” Alexander Lukashenko emphasized. If 10 years ago human organ transplantation in the country was a historical event, now it is a widespread medical intervention free of charge for Belarusians. More than half a thousand such operations are carried out annually not only in the capital, but also in regional centers.

“Over three decades, we have achieved (without false modesty) incredible results in the sacred topic of the birth of babies,” the President said. He emphasized that Belarus can rightfully be proud of the fact that it was able to reduce maternal mortality by more than 6 times, and infant mortality by 5.5 times and has one of the lowest rates in Europe and among the CIS countries (these data are confirmed by WHO) . Thanks to IVF, over the last 5 years alone, more than 4 thousand little Belarusians have been born.
“Behind these dry numbers are hundreds of thousands of happy mother’s hearts and joyful smiles of babies,” said Alexander Lukashenko. “And for young and expectant mothers, I would like to note that Belarus occupies 20th position in the ranking of the most comfortable countries for motherhood.”

According to the President, Belarusians worked for this comfort in all areas, from the construction of preschool and school education institutions, medical, sports, development centers, to the development of educational programs. 170 thousand student places have been put into operation in general secondary education institutions, 55 thousand places in preschool institutions. For 30 years, almost one hundred percent provision of children with a place in kindergarten has been achieved. In the early 1990s, only half of children entered first grade from kindergarten.

Social stratification is not allowed, Belarus is a country of equal opportunities.

Belarus is a country with a low level of social stratification of the population in terms of income. This, according to the head of state, is exactly what a civilized, highly developed country should be - a country of equal opportunities.

“Belarus has radically changed its social status,” stated Alexander Lukashenko. From the group of countries with a low level of human development, it has moved to a group with a very high level, where it has confidently occupied its position for more than 10 years. “Think about it, in just 30 years we have done this,” the President noted.

Macroeconomic balance and growth of citizens' savings

“Let's be honest. There is a basis for development,” said the head of state. “We have ensured macroeconomic balance, financial stability, restored the dynamics of economic growth, and increased impressive EXPORT potential.”


As a positive fact, the President noted that now Belarusians can afford to have savings. In banks alone, according to data from the beginning of April this year, nearly Br30 billion is kept in the accounts of the population. On average, this is approximately $1 thousand for each resident of the country. “And at home, I think, it’s hidden under the pillow, as people say, for a rainy day. We live ‘poorly’,” Alexander Lukashenko noted ironically.
BelNPP is a strong brand. The country has made progress in ensuring energy independence

“We have made significant progress in ensuring energy independence,” said the head of state. “The Belarusian nuclear power plant is our strong brand and our sovereignty. And this is the quality of our life, which is ensured by the development of electric housing, electric transport, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 7 million tons. The figure is impressive.”

State support for housing, a million families became new settlers
As for the housing policy of the Belarusian state, priority in matters of assistance in the construction and purchase of housing remains with families with children, primarily large families, residents of small towns and villages, families without their own housing, and military personnel . And this practice, as the President assured, will continue.
 
“Almost a million families have improved their housing over the years. Hundreds of thousands of apartments have been built with government support. They are comfortable and modern,” Alexander Lukashenko gave examples. “If in 1995 a little more than half of the population lived in comfortable apartments and houses, today we are close to one hundred percent the indicator is 94%. The increase is one and a half times. At the same time, in rural areas the indicator increased not one and a half times, but three times.”

The share of families who indicated satisfaction with their living conditions is almost 90%. “You know my approaches. The figure is very good, but it should be higher,” said the head of state. “But someone actually began to live on a grand scale.”

Significant sports and social and cultural facilities were modernized and built

“We have built the most beautiful cities with you, we are transforming the outback,” the President said. The country has modernized and built many world-class sports facilities. Among them are the National Olympic Stadium "Dynamo", the sports and entertainment complex "Minsk-Arena" with a velodrome and a speed skating stadium, sports complexes "Chizhovka-Arena", "Staiki", "Raubichi", rowing canals in Brest and Zaslavl.

This infrastructure has made it possible to successfully host numerous World and European Championships, the second European Games (2019), and the second CIS Games (2023) in Belarus.
Alexander Lukashenko noted that the construction of many cultural objects has become truly popular. Among them are the National Library and the new building of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Now, through joint efforts, the Republican Youth Patriotic Center is being built in the Brest region.

“We have modernized and re-equipped all existing cultural facilities. There are more than enough venues for performances by our cultural workers - go and show your skills, and we (the spectators - BELTA's note), if you are interested in us, will come and buy very expensive tickets, which you will sell, as our Bolshoi Theater does,” the head of state noted.

The length of roads has almost doubled.

Over three decades, the length of roads in Belarus has almost doubled, while the kilometer of paved roads has increased 1.5 times and as of January 1, 2024 amounted to almost 80 thousand km. The capital is connected by highways to almost all regional centers. The Minsk - Polotsk - Vitebsk route is the final project in this matter, which is planned to be completed in the near future. “All this is our common success,” said the head of state.
Industrial potential was preserved and increased

Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that sovereign Belarus has preserved and increased its industrial potential. Such flagships as MAZ, BELAZ, MTZ, Gomselmash and others operate. The volume of industrial production from the mid-1990s to 2023 increased 4 times.

“They write that in terms of price-quality ratio, our neighbors compare the Belarusian MTZ tractor with the trouble-free Kalashnikov assault rifle. Thank you. Very flattering,” said the head of state.

Thanks to modern oil refineries, the country has high-quality and affordable fuel. Although there was a time when they did not know how to refuel and bring harvesting equipment to the fields, the President recalled.

“We have serious competencies in deep wood processing. By producing products with high added value, we have become a noticeable competitor in a whole range of products - from matches to furniture and pulp (that’s why the West first of all imposed sanctions against us and this sector,We are strong and unnecessary competitors for them),” said Alexander Lukashenko.

Moreover, during the development of the industry, over the years of independence, the forest area in the country has increased by almost 1 million hectares. Currently, forests cover 40% of the territory of Belarus. “Do you remember how much noise our so-called environmentalists made?” - the President noted.

Space is ours! Flight of a Belarusian cosmonaut to the ISS

About many of the country’s achievements, according to Alexander Lukashenko, one can figuratively say: “This is space!” But this year the comparison has taken on a new meaning. After all, Belarus is now a space power.
“Space is ours! And this is not an aphorism. Marina Vasilevskaya’s flight for Belarus is not just an image, a ostentatious flight. It is a symbolic chord, the peak to which we have been moving since Soviet times,” said the Belarusian leader.

The country worked hard and effectively on space programs when the history of space exploration was just beginning. They preserved scientific teams during the years of sovereign development and subsequently made significant progress in space technology. “We launched the first Belarusian spacecraft into orbit in 2012. Now there are three of our satellites,” the head of state recalled.
Belarus' competencies in this area are in demand by other countries. For example, joint work with Russia is underway on a project to create a new Belarusian-Russian spacecraft with an accuracy almost an order of magnitude higher than the previous one. Together with the Russians, Belarusians worked in the high-tech field discussed above, such as nuclear energy. During the construction of the nuclear power plant in Ostrovets, the Belarusian side turned to the Russian side so that as many Belarusians as possible would work at the facility, so that they would adopt experience and master new technologies. “And we have learned. Today we are with Russians all over the world, wherever they want, wherever they build nuclear units, we work together with them,” the head of state noted.

“This is the success of an intellectually developed nation,” Alexander Lukashenko emphasized.

Domestic education has become a truly national treasure.

The results of Belarus in the space industry have become possible, among other things, thanks to domestic education, which has become a truly national treasure. It is high quality and accessible to everyone.
“Every year, as you remember, at the level of the President we constantly returned to issues of education. For what? So that everyone, no matter where they live - in a small village, a regional center or in Minsk - has equal conditions for admission. So that all children - machine operators, teachers, doctors, and managers - had equal conditions (for receiving education. - BELTA's note)," the head of state noted.

It is no coincidence that the number of foreign students studying in our country is growing. Now there are over 30 thousand people, which is 3 times more than 15 years ago.

“It is no coincidence that Belarus is on a par with countries that have achieved a high level of education,” the head of state added.
The authority of the defender of the Fatherland has increased, the crime rate has been significantly reduced

. “What socio-economic well-being can there be if the safety of people is not ensured?” the head of state asked rhetorically. “I often say: if we, our children , our families cannot live in peace if the children they can’t go outside if it whistles, buzzes and explodes from all sides, if air raid sirens scare children in the morning, at night, at any time - why all this that I talked about (above - BELTA note) Is this nothing? It’s not worth it if there is no normal safety for life in society.”
In the 1990s, there was rampant banditry; highways leading outside the country were especially dangerous. But this problem was dealt with firmly and quickly in Belarus. “I think that those who went to “progressive” Europe and America appreciate this achievement of our security. Not only me, but you also know what is happening on the streets there. We take our security for granted. Well, thank God.”

The President emphasized that the authority of the defender of the Fatherland has grown in Belarus. According to him, they did everything for this, although it was very difficult. In the mid-1990s, veterans of the Great Patriotic War were afraid to wear orders and medals when going out, and military personnel were afraid to appear in public in uniform. “It happened before your eyes, more than half of this room remembers it. We suppressed these sentiments in society. And we did this largely thanks to the development of the national economy, which allows us to timely resolve issues of social protection of people in uniform,” explained Alexander Lukashenko .

“We live all the time without thinking about how, in an environment of escalation and tension, the necessary level of military security is ensured in our country (I think tomorrow you will hear this and understand who has not yet understood). And it is ensured by the readiness of our army for defense, protection of national interests, - said the President. - Fortunately, most of us know how the state system of responding to acts of terrorism, the activities of terrorist organizations, illegal armed groups and mass riots works. In a word, we live peacefully and calmly. Fortunately for us, young Belarusians are also sure that this has always been the case.”

Perhaps the younger generation did not notice how crime statistics have changed: crime rates and criminalization of society have decreased by almost half. Almost half - from 120 thousand people in 2004 to 70 thousand in 2023.
It has become safer to travel on the country's roads. The number of cases of driving while intoxicated has decreased by 7 times: if in 2004 there were 79 thousand, then in 2023 - 11.5 thousand.

From 1990 to 2023, the number of road accidents decreased almost 3 times. Although the number of cars and drivers has increased significantly. In 2020, WHO ranked Belarus in 2nd place in the world (after Iceland) among the countries with the lowest accident rate.

“People have begun to die less not only on the roads, but also in fires, on reservoirs, in production. I will not delve into the statistics, since behind all the numbers are the fates of our people,” said the head of state. “I would like to achieve the ideal, which means the absence of such statistics in principle. But this is a utopia. And we still have to strive for it.”