{"id":176875,"date":"2026-02-23T21:43:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T21:43:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:43:37","slug":"scapegoats-chosen-lukasenka-takes-prime-minister-to-task","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/","title":{"rendered":"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism came despite reported GDP growth of 1.3 percent and a 9.6 percent rise in household incomes. The Belarusian ruler argued that many key economic targets had nonetheless gone unmet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"block-image block-image-normal\">\n\n    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1128\" height=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg 1128w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1128px) 100vw, 1128px\" \/>\n    <figcaption>\n        \n                    <div class=\"block-image__author\">\n                                <span>(unsplash.com, freepik.com, cabinet&#039;s press office\/Pozirk&#039;s collage) <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He urged officials to intensify their efforts while Russia, Belarus\u2019 main economic partner, is grappling with its own slowdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Economic contraction and structural problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Belarus\u2019 GDP contracted by 1.2 percent in January, according to Bie\u0142stat, the national statistics agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-flourish wp-block-embed-flourish\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/27761999\/embed#?secret=rvPM0kQNcx\" data-secret=\"rvPM0kQNcx\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"575\" width=\"500\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Several major sectors posted declines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mining: \u22121.4 percent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water supply: \u22122.7 percent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trade: \u22125.6 percent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manufacturing: \u22127.6 percent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Construction: \u221211.1 percent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Ina Miadzviedzieva, head of Bie\u0142stat, pointed to a trend of weakening competitiveness in 2025 and January 2026. Falling production combined with rising imports widened the trade deficit to $7 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imports have been outpacing exports, and many Belarusian companies are struggling to sell their goods both domestically and abroad. Inventories are accumulating, while the government\u2019s import-substitution plans remain largely unimplemented. At the same time, labor shortages persist amid emigration and population decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To address the workforce gap, the authorities have turned to retirees and foreign workers. However, Belarus remains unattractive to the skilled labor its economy most urgently needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although average pay has risen by 70 percent, wage levels remain relatively low. This makes it difficult for Belarus to compete for migrant workers, while many skilled Belarusians continue to seek employment abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Officials are also reluctant to encourage emigrants to return, fearing opposition from the security agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Russia losing steam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Russia, Belarus\u2019 key export market, reported growth slowing to 1 percent in 2025 and expects a similar rate in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Belarusian companies are heavily dependent on the Russian market, and the partner\u2019s deceleration could deliver a serious blow. Exports to Russia have already declined amid stiff competition from Russian and foreign manufacturers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Competition is equally intense in other markets, including China, Africa, and Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>European sanctions on certain Belarusian goods have further limited Minsk\u2019s room for maneuver and diversification. As a result, the government has little influence over adverse external factors, with Moscow, Washington and Brussels effectively setting the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Searching for scapegoats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than focusing on comprehensive anti-crisis measures, \u0141uka\u0161enka appears to be searching for scapegoats within the cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The government\u2019s personnel policy faces challenges similar to those affecting the broader labor market. As a result, the Belarusian leader finds it increasingly difficult to identify qualified replacements for dismissed officials. His bench of potential substitutes is short. Media recently reported that several officials had their resignation requests rejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the \u0141uka\u0161enka administration now seems more concerned with preparing the public for possible belt-tightening measures than with accelerating economic growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This task will not be easy. Minsk cannot credibly shift responsibility for falling sales in Russia. Blaming the West, the opposition or sanctions is becoming less persuasive. And scapegoating officials is no longer as straightforward as it once was.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism came despite reported GDP growth of 1.3 percent and a 9.6 percent rise in household incomes. The Belarusian ruler argued that many key economic targets had nonetheless gone unmet. He urged officials to intensify their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":176748,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-176875","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task | Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1128\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"752\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Pozirk_online\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\"},\"headline\":\"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-23T18:43:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\"},\"wordCount\":498,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\",\"name\":\"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task | Pozirk\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-23T18:43:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg\",\"width\":1128,\"height\":752,\"caption\":\"\u0418\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 \u0438\u0437\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439: unsplash.com, freepik.com, \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441-\u0441\u043b\u0443\u0436\u0431\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 \/ \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0430\u0436: \\\"\u041f\u043e\u0437\u0456\u0440\u043a\\\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Pozirk\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Pozirk\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Pozirk\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Pozirk_online\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task | Pozirk","description":"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task | Pozirk","og_description":"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism","og_url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/","og_site_name":"Pozirk","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/","article_modified_time":"2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1128,"height":752,"url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Pozirk_online","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/"},"headline":"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task","datePublished":"2026-02-23T18:43:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/"},"wordCount":498,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/","name":"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task | Pozirk","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg","datePublished":"2026-02-23T18:43:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00","description":"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka last week publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn over the country\u2019s weak economic performance in 2025. The criticism","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/raznos-prav_collage_pozirk.jpg","width":1128,"height":752,"caption":"\u0418\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 \u0438\u0437\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439: unsplash.com, freepik.com, \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441-\u0441\u043b\u0443\u0436\u0431\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 \/ \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0430\u0436: \"\u041f\u043e\u0437\u0456\u0440\u043a\""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/176875\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Scapegoats chosen: \u0141uka\u0161enka takes prime minister to task"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/","name":"Pozirk","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization","name":"Pozirk","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Pozirk"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Pozirk_online"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/longreads\/176875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/longreads"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/longreads"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"rubric","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rubric?post=176875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}