Lukashenko explains why he didn’t support proposals to change the system of Social Protection Fund’s work
The system of work of the bodies of social services for the population and the Social Protection Fund in Belarus has been built and time-tested, so there’s no need to change it yet – as stated today by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, in his talk with journalists in the Tolochin District, BelTA reports
The day before, the Head of State heard a report on improving the work of the Social Protection Fund and measures to strengthen support for pensioners. Government proposals were made to reformat the Social Protection Fund’s work. In particular, to combine the entire cycle of pension and social insurance (sick leave certificates and child allowances) in one state body. That is, that the processes of assigning, paying pensions and allowances, as well as the source of their financing, be under the jurisdiction of one structure: the Social Protection Fund (now they are divided between the fund and social protection departments under local authorities).
After listening to all opinions, the President did not support the proposed innovations. During today’s conversation with reporters, he explained in detail his position regarding this issue.
Aleksandr Lukashenko considers it right that at one time it was decided to accumulate pension funds in the Social Protection Fund, as well as to create a treasury, where budgetary funds are concentrated.
“This all has been done. At one time, I created the treasury so that banks do not burgeon on budget money and on this money [in the Social Protection Fund for pensions]; all this is in the treasury, a common ‘bag’.”
Speaking figuratively, all revenue receipts are accumulated for subsequent payments of pensions and allowances in the Social Protection Fund, as in a ‘bag’.
“What did they offer? To take all district social protection departments and transfer them to the fund’s bag,” the President briefly formulated the essence of the innovations.
To make a balanced decision, the Head of State asked the opinion of Minsk Region Governor Aleksandr Turchin and Minsk Mayor Vladimir Kukharev.
“I tell them: you understand that the district social protection department is an authority, it is in the district executive committee. We are now taking it from there and giving it to the fund.” The fund has virtually no power. In general, it will be some kind of confusion,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said about yesterday’s discussion. “Did you ask the people who are working in the district social protection departments? I know their opinion...”
He drew attention to the fact that social protection departments under district and regional executive committees are large structural units where many people work. The head of the region can count on their assistance and participation in public events and additional agricultural works, if necessary. If social protection departments are removed from the subordination of local authorities and given to the structure of the Social Protection Fund, how will this affect the manageability of all processes, the Head of State raised a reasonable question.
“Will someone from Minsk watch how this department works? For what? So that it was in the same hands, the money was collected and distributed from this bag? These social protection departments distribute and assign pensions now,” he said.
Moreover, people have the opportunity to come to the governor or the head of the district to express their complaints about the work of social protection bodies.
“If the district social protection department does not decide, people go to the district executive committee, even to the chair. He will accept them and then [if the proposed changes are accepted] the chair will say that he is not responsible for this issue, it’s somewhere, with Kostevich in some fund,” Aleksandr Lukashenko gave a hypothetical example.
The President stressed that a clear, understandable system has now been formed and it is working, “The fund has raised money. The district social protection department gives an application that a particular number of pensioners need a definite amount. This money is quickly transferred via the treasury, the money is received. The system works well.”
“I don’t see the need to break this system. We have the most conservative stratum of our population: veterans and pensioners. So let this conservative system work; it is a life-tested one,” the President announced the decision. “I figured everything out like that, and as far as I see it now, there is no motivation.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also explained why he rejected the proposal for a universal transition to digital employment record books, which was also discussed yesterday during the report. This question concerns a very large number of people, because almost everyone has an employment record book, and the President is no exception in this case.
The President briefly formulated the essence of the proposed innovations, “To digitise these record books, we don’t need these paper record books. Everything should be download into a computer and the system should be created.” But immediately during the discussion, the issue of ensuring the security of digitised data arose in order to prevent their leakage or loss due to a hacker attack.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that he sees nothing wrong with the existence of ordinary paper employment record books, especially since for many older people it is very important to have a paper document.
“Even I want to have an employment record book [in the usual paper form]. Let it lie. My paper employment record book will go somewhere to the museum while Igor Tur will hide his to later show to his children,” the President noted.
The Head of State considers the initiative to completely digitise employment record books and abandon paper versions extremely untimely, “It’s just not the time. It’s as if there’s nothing to do. If we stir up 2.5 million pensioners (they already have enough problems), we will turn it all over, we won’t do it in a year, and how much money we will spend on this digitisation, how many thousands of people need to be hired to conduct this digitisation ...”
“We’ve agreed that gradually, year after year, we will digitise everything,” the President summed up. “There is no need for revolutionary upheavals here. In some areas where it was supposed to radically change the social protection system, I did not consider it necessary, as long as the system works. What for? The time will come, and we will look at it again.”
