April 25, Pozirk. Labor migrants from different countries should be dispersed across Belarus, Alaksandar Łukašenka has told officials who presented him with a report on the development of radiation-contaminated areas in the Homiel region.
“Out of a thousand people let’s say, 60 or 100 can be foreigners,” his press office quoted him as saying in a comment about plans to invite 150,000 Pakistani workers to Belarus, announced earlier this month.
Those who want to prevent the arrival of foreign workers should work for three or at least two persons to offset staff shortages, the Belarusian ruler said, indirectly admitting the scale of the problem.
“We have agreed [with Pakistan] that we will work out an appropriate program to be confirmed by an intergovernmental agreement,” Łukašenka said, accusing people commenting on the Pakistani workers of intentions to destabilize Belarusian society.
Recently, police have arrested a young couple for comments on foreign workers, threatening criminal charges for such actions.
More than 200,000 workers left Belarus from 2018-2023, according to the Cyberpartisans hacktivist group. Labor shortages caused by emigration persist due to a politically-motivated crackdown that continues since the disputed 2020 presidential election.
