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Lukashenka demands tighter discipline among workers

Alyaksandr Lukashenka demanded that “discipline” among workers be tightened as he was speaking at a government meeting on the country’s economic woes on Friday.

“The State Control Committee, the cabinet and local governors will have all powers starting today to address problems in the consumer market and problems regarding discipline and order in the country’s manufacturing sector,” the government’s news agency BelTA quoted Mr. Lukashenka as saying.

“And don’t go to me to complain that the State Control Committee, police or government officials, controlling the maintenance of discipline in pursuance of the president’s order, have caught someone at a store at a time when he should have been at a construction site, a factory or a plant,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “Fire him immediately without waiting for some instructions.”

“Tomorrow they will begin to demand an increase in pay. But on what grounds should it be increased now that the productivity of labor is not improving?” Mr. Lukashenka said. “We need to support only poor people, the disabled and students.”

Mr. Lukashenka warned that government officials should also work hard. “Almost half of the personnel of all ministries hang about the streets in Minsk. Catch them and give them a broom,” he said. //BelaPAN