How has Belarus changed since the election of Aleksandr Lukashenko as President 30 years ago?

On July 10th, 1994, Aleksandr Lukashenko won the second round of the presidential election with the support of 80.34 percent of voters. Since then, Belarus has created a high-level economy and strengthened its defence capabilities. Belarus has established itself as a social welfare state, expanded participation in global integration structures, developed sports and culture. We preserve the historical truth and uphold traditional values. Thanks to the President’s wise policy, a solid foundation has been laid for further building sovereign, independent and prosperous Belarus.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the institution of presidency in Belarus, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has named the most significant achievements in the social and labour sphere

First, the real disposable income of the population has grown more than 9 times in three decades compared to 1995.
Second, the rate of low-income population has decreased dramatically. The share of population with disposable incomes below subsistence line per capita (low income level) on average has plummeted by 10.7 times — from 38.4 percent in 1995 to 3.6 percent in 2023. 
Third, the unemployment level has reduced. The State Employment Service has helped to find jobs for nearly 5.3 million people over 30 years. The number of registered unemployed citizens decreased from 101.2 thousand in 1994 to 3.3 thousand in 2023. The unemployment rate, calculated in accordance with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) methodology, is now one of the lowest since its observation in 2012. The rate stood at 3.3 percent in Q1 2024. For comparison: in 2016, this figure was 5.8 percent.
Fourth, a sharp decrease in workplace injuries has been recorded. The number of work-related accidents has dropped by more than 8 times over 30 years — from 16 thousand injured in 1994 to 1.9 thousand in 2023.
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The 30th anniversary of the institution of presidency marks a milestone event in the history of sovereign Belarus. The people’s choice of 1994 became a pivotal and historic one as people entrusted their hopes, aspirations and expectations to a man who promised to usher a new era associated with the development and prosperity for a young sovereign nation. Now, three decades later, it is evident that the choice made by the Belarusian people was indeed justified. Aleksandr Lukashenko has become a symbol of responsibility and stability in the country’s political realm, elevating Belarus’ presence on the global stage and garnering wide support from both inside and outside the country. 
High levels of unemployment, stagnant plants and factories, empty shops, meagre salaries — these are the gloomy realities of the early 1990s of the last century. Workers warmed themselves around bonfires in the silent workshops of once industrial giants, and poverty-stricken people begged for bread on the streets. The decline in GDP was twice as large as after the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. That was not merely a period of depression but rather a crisis point leading to an abyss. 
During the years of Aleksandr Lukashenko’s presidency, Belarus has become a state that serves as an example to many countries worldwide. What lies at the core of this success?

Strategic plan

You cannot spread slogans on bread. In the early years of independence, the newfangled word ‘privatisation’ was actively discussed at many stagnant enterprises. However, Belarus would not break and sell for a song what had been created for decades — the first President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, made that promise to the people.  
By the early noughties, the country, which had recently teetered on the edge of the abyss, emerged as a leader among the CIS in terms of economic growth. Despite the challenges, a clear course was strictly followed. The Main Directions of Socio-Economic Development for 1996-2000 were developed. As noted by Doctor of Economics Valery Bainev, the Belarusian economy saw significant growth from 1995 to 2020, with GDP per capita measured by purchasing power parity (PPP) increasing more than fivefold — from $3,863 to $20,186. The exports of products grew sevenfold over five five-year periods — from $5.3 to $37 billion. By 2023, the average salary reached $634, which is 70 times more than in 1994. By the way, such estimates are based on data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which had to recognise the real success achieved by Belarus. 

Agricultural progress

A strong industry is a weighty argument. However, in order to attain food security, the country needs highly developed agriculture. Young people nowadays may not fully grasp the significance of this statement — after all they simply do not understand the repercussions of a state unable to produce its own goods. In the mid-1990s, not only were there no delicacies on store shelves, but there was also no milk sometimes while baby food was worth its weight in gold. The collective farms in the country were destroyed, and selling off the land seemed the easiest and most obvious solution. This advice was frequently given to the President. However, the question remained — what is next, who will take care of the peasants? Aleksandr Lukashenko consistently raised this concern. Thanks to his firm and principled position, considerable changes have taken place in the countryside.  
Strong regions contribute to a strong state, providing a place to live, a job and a salary — that is the major strategy. No matter what goals are set, they are always focused on people who should be able to live and work on their land. The Head of State has reiterated this point multiple times. Over the past three decades, the agricultural sector has evolved to ensure multibillion-dollar profitability, enabling us to not only sustain ourselves but also export to other countries. The President’s diplomatic visits to friendly countries have yielded results — exports to the African region are ramping up, new markets are opening up.

Ongoing development 

Thanks to nationwide support, a system with a strong leader at the helm has definitively reinforced itself in the country. This system is clear, simple, essential, and most importantly, effective. After all, such a power structure leaves no room for any destructive external forces to undermine the state. Thus, all attempts at ‘colour revolutions’ have failed in Belarus. The institution of presidency, as well as the very concept of president, holds significant value for Belarusians. Aleksandr Lukashenko has demonstrated resilience and stood strong against the challenges thrown at him, having safeguarded the country’s independence. Throughout the past 30 years, our country has not participated in any armed conflict — quite the opposite, Belarus is known for its peaceful policy and efforts to build bridges between states.  
We build housing, educate children, develop the social sphere, and make discoveries in science. We have constructed our own nuclear power plant and the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation (BNBC), upgraded oil refineries and launched the production of passenger vehicles. Just some 30 years ago, our factories were on the verge of closure, and now equipment under the brand Made in Belarus is known all over the world. Every tenth tractor on the planet is a Belarus tractor produced by Minsk Tractor Works. BELAZ vehicles, manufactured by Belarusian Automobile Plant, travel along mountain roads on the other side of the world, while Gomselmash-made combine harvesters come in handy in African plains. Even space is within our reach now. Could anyone have even dreamt of all this three decades ago? 
The President has always known what needs to be done. Therefore, Belarus today is a country with a high level of economy, which has gained authority on the international stage. Thirty years in the scale of history is a fairly short time. However, even during this time, Belarus has achieved a lot. If someone has nothing to compare to, they can ask their parents or those who remember the 1990s well. Meanwhile, the country continues to develop confidently on the path to bolstering its sovereignty and independence. 

Different paths — different results

In the summer of 1994, Belarus and Ukraine were electing their presidents. In our country, the favourite in the first round by a wide margin was Aleksandr Lukashenko, who also won the second round with more than 80 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, the presidential elections in Ukraine ended in the defeat of Leonid Kravchuk — one of the three leaders who signed the 1991 deal [the Belavezha Accords] on the collapse of the USSR. However, after the elections, the two countries took completely different paths. Kiev relied on nationalism, while Minsk prioritised consolidation. As a result, under the leadership of Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus has been developing based on the interests of the people, its traditions and its own history. In contrast, Ukraine is embroiled in war, while the country has been plundered and is virtually disintegrated with the involvement of the collective West. 

Based on materials of printed publications of the Belarus Segodnya Publishing House