Lukashenko outraged by 200-time difference in salaries in trade
A difference in salaries of retail chain owners and ordinary employees is sometimes enormous, and the former make money on sales profit at the same time. Aleksandr Lukashenko highlighted this problem at today’s meeting which tackled price regulation in Belarus, among other issues.
The President recalled that some retail chain owners earn monthly about Br207,000 [up to $83,000], while staying abroad at the same time. Meanwhile, an ordinary seller of the same retail chain may earn Br700-1,000 [$280-400].
With this in view, the Head of State asked a reasonable question, “What reasoning and talks are possible? Where is this fairness? Why is there such a gap? We have actually imposed limits at state-run enterprises…”
Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded that a price ceiling had been introduced at state factories for managers: their maximum income can be equal to the average salary for the enterprise, increased by no more than six times. “Okay, six times the average salary. But here it is 200 times!” the Head of State stressed.
“They established bonuses – rather than wages – from profits,” the First Deputy Prime Minister, Nikolai Snopkov, explained.
In this regard, the Belarusian leader shared his own experience: in times when he headed a farm, he was on the general alphabetical list together with all employees. Each of them could see how much the director earned. At the same time, the President did not agree in principle to register awards for some good results in other documents. “My surname was put in the same list with villagers and workers, and people could see their salaries and the director’s. This is the basis. Are directors poor today? They live no worse than you at state-run enterprises. As regards private companies, you see what is happening. Therefore, there must be justice at the core,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The Head of State added: if the Government and the governors decide that prices should be changed ‘at least ten times’ in order for these goods to be available for buyers, his position is as follows, “Change, but I will know that Snopkov and the governor are personally responsible for this. We do not control this process at all at present. We are just walking in a crowd: deputies, trade unions, the State Control Committee, and so on – and everything is in motion as a result. There is no needs in such ‘crowds’: we should develop a system… It is an exceptional case when prices need to be raised somewhere.”
