OREANDA-NEWS. July 21, 2010. By the end of the year the average salary in the country will make an equivalent of USD 500, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told residents of the agro-town Kholmech on 16 July.

“I don’t even think that we can be ten or twenty dollars below the target. The goal has been set and we should reach it,” said the President. In his words, next year focus will be put on raising salaries of low-paid workers such as those working in agriculture, education and healthcare. “If next year we double their salaries and the average salary across the country rises, people will be in a good mood,” he said. The head of state added that it is necessary to advance salaries towards the average European level.

The President remarked that this year the growth of salaries and pensions has been slowed by the global financial and economic crisis. The President believes that the country is now recovering from the crisis and the Belarusians have not even noticed the crisis generally speaking. Alexander Lukashenko is confident that Belarus will get out of the situation by the end of the year. “If there is even the slightest possibility, we will provide help,” he said.

Talking to residents of the agro-town, Alexander Lukashenko mentioned the development priorities of the next five-year term. In particular, the head of state believes it is necessary to improve the discipline and organization in every job. As far as small and medium urban communities are concerned, on the whole work in this area has been finished and it only has to be polished in the future without thinking up something new. Focus will be put on bringing villages into proper order. The President believes that new jobs should be created in rural areas to prevent workforce drain to cities. Alexander Lukashenko also said that in the next five-year plan the rural development program will be polished but focus will be put on melioration. The head of state also said that money will be allocated only for serious projects.