Stanislau Shushkievich’s pension is 37 cents

Such a pension is an indicator of how the economy of Belarus develops, the politician believes.

It is known that in 1997 Lukashenka cancelled Parliament’s decree on life-time pension for the former Prime-Minister and the head of state in the amount of 70-75% of the salary of acting Prime-Minister and Parliament’s speaker and signed a decree on "ordering pensions for special merit for Belarusian people". In essence, Lukashenka decided to personally determine to gets high pensions, and who does not, Narodnaja Vola reports.

Pensions for special merit were designed mainly for the first persons of Soviet Belorussia, for example former leaders of the Communist party of Belorussia Mikalaj Slunkou and Jafrem Sokalau.

For five leaders of independent Belarus – Stanislau Shushkievich, Ryhor Tarazievich, Siamon Sharetski, Miechyslau Gryb and Mikhail Chyhir – the pension was kept on the current level of the moment the decree was signed, to put it simply – frozen.

In 1997 it was 3 million 196 thousand Belarusian roubles, which turned into 3200 roubles a month after the denomination of 1999. This is the amount of pension that Shushkievich receives today. Converted into USA dollars in accounts for about 37 cents according to National Bank’s exchange rate.

How can one survive on a pension of 37 cents? Maybe Stanislau Shushkievich has already refused from it?

- A mailman brings the pension to my home every month. According to the agreement, mother-in-law signs for it, - Stanislau Shushkievich says. – Obviously, such things do not happen in a civiclized society, it is not only a shame for Lukashenka, but for the state that allows that.

By the way, my pension is an indicator of how Belarus’ economy develops. By his decree Lukashenka left my pension on the level of 1996, and then it was 300 dollars, and now it is 37 cents! Our rouble has lost its value by over 800 times in the past 15 years. In a civilized country any government, any leadership would have long been kicked out…

As for me, then, thanks God, health does not let me down, and I can still make for living. Now I am reading term papers and theses of the students of Warsaw University, where I teach. By the way, this year I gave lectures in Poland, South Korea and Austria.