Belarus' ex-president receives a retirement income of merely $0.2.
In January, the ex-Chairman of Belarus's Supreme Soviet, Stanislau Shushkevich, cashed out another monthly pension check from the Central District Social Protection Department in Minsk. Over the past year, he's been taking home roughly $240, which might not seem like much, but in an economically struggling Belarus, it's a key source of income for the former political heavyweight.
Shushkevich, a historical figure in Belarus's transition towards independence following the Soviet Union's dissolution, has been living off a lifelong pension he was granted in 1997. At the time, it was a decent sum (around $300), but following the 1999 devaluation, it was reduced to today's meager $0.20. That's barely enough to buy a loaf of bread, let alone fund a comfortable retirement.
In 2010, Shushkevich appealed to the Prime Minister, the Head of Administration, and the Chairman of the Supreme Court, demanding a fair pension and justice for his service to the country. Unfortunately, his pleas fell on deaf ears, leaving him to rely on lectures at foreign universities for additional income. He describes this apparent neglect as a mockery of his contributions.
It's worth noting that Shushkevich played a pivotal role during the Soviet era, having served as the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from September 1991 to January 1994. He was one of the signatories of the Belavezha Accords in 1991, which dissolved the Soviet Union, marking a significant turning point in Belarusian history. However, comprehensive information regarding his pension may be hard to come by due to privacy concerns or lack of public disclosure.
In many ways, Shushkevich's story illustrates the broader challenges facing the pension system in Belarus. A pay-as-you-go system, which relies on current workers' contributions to fund the pensions of retirees, has been strained by an aging population and ongoing economic pressures. While reforms have been made over the years to modernize the system, pension amounts in Belarus remain strikingly low compared to Western European standards.
Despite these challenges, Shushkevich continues to make his voice heard. While his pension may not provide the financial security he deserves, his dedication to sharing his insights and experiences is more important than ever in shaping Belarus's future. After all, as Shushkevich once said, "The liberation of one is a step forward."
- Stanislau Shushkevich, the historical figure who served as the Chairman of Belarus's Supreme Soviet, has been appealing for a fair pension and justice for his service to the country.
- Despite his decent pension granted in 1997 being reduced to barely enough to buy a loaf of bread, Shushkevich's monthly pension check from the Central District Social Protection Department in Minsk is a key source of income for him.
- The ongoing economic pressures and an aging population have strained Belarus's pay-as-you-go pension system, which has resulted in strikingly low pension amounts compared to Western European standards.
- Shushkevich's story illustrates the broader challenges facing the pension system in Belarus, which has significant implications in the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, as part of the general news.
