Session to discuss optimization in Belarus President Administration

The Belarus President Administration should be in the vanguard of the government bodies’ optimization, President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the session held on 6 February to discuss the optimization in the Belarus President Administration.

Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded that when appointing the head and first deputy head of the Belarus President Administration some time ago he gave an instruction to reform this organization in a calm and rational manner. “As the political headquarters of the head of state, it should be in the vanguard of the government bodies’ optimization, be an example of the renewal and optimization that we have started,” the President said.

In his words, first of all, it is essential for raising the efficiency of the state apparatus. “Fewer resources can be used to perform tasks in various fields,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

In this context, the head of state once again enumerated major requirements concerning the optimization of the Belarus President Administration. “First, you should produce and accumulate progressive ideas that are very important for the development of our state. There are enough such ideas in our society. The Big Conversation With the President proved it. The Belarus President Administration should become a monolithic expert center for taking balanced decisions on the issues of paramount importance for the state. I want its leadership to ensure well coordinated and efficient work. You should be a united team using the skills, experience, and energy of all members for common good,” the President said.

It is essential to continue red tape reduction, Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Tough control over the process of red tape reduction and immediate responses to the changes in the economy, politics, social and other sectors are needed. You should pay attention to absolutely all problems concerning our people,” the Belarusian leader said. “There should be no bureaucratic delays, it is inadmissible to redirect claims and petitions addressed to the president or the Belarus President Administration to inferior agencies like it was done in Soviet times and is sometimes done today.”

The head of state also deems it necessary to enhance the role of Belarus president’s aides in the coordination of work with all regions and all branches of power. “They are fully accountable to the head of state for the social and political situation in regions. They should also monitor the situation in all corners of Belarus and inform the country’s leadership about it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that special attention should be drawn to the performance discipline. “All tasks must be fulfilled quickly, efficiently, without red tape and excessive papers. These requirements apply to the entire power vertical. We carry out the optimization and serious personnel reduction, and there should be excellent performance discipline. The president has made a decision regarding your authorities, and it must be strictly fulfilled. This is the only way to preserve governability in the state,” the President said.

“It is necessary to continue working to improve the national ideology. It is one of key preconditions for stability in the society and the basis for continuous development. It is important to make sure that there is no window dressing and artificial approach. We need no formalities and unnecessary measures,” the President said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko added that the ideological work should be guided by the ‘better less but better’ principle. “There should be no formalistic approach,” he emphasized.

As far as the economy is concerned, the President Administration must give a more thoughtful consideration to the proposals submitted for consideration of/to the head of state. “Your task is to provide an in-depth analysis of all initiatives and draft decisions for their compliance with the social policy pursued by the state and also assess their potential impact on people and the country's economic development as a whole,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

“The President Administration should have experts, smart people in all fields whom they can invite to contribute on a voluntary basis. If they work well, we will find ways to reward their efforts,” the head of state noted. He believes that it is necessary to look into the efficiency of the organizations subordinate to the President Administration.

As an example, Aleksandr Lukashenko cited the president’s press service. “They do not need to have 15 to 20 people. They need three to five smart, intelligent professionals who can involve, if necessary, all media outlets, the media center and other units and structures,” the President said.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko criticized the performance of the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus. “Only promising civil servants who will be in demand tomorrow should study there,” the Belarusian leader said.

The head of state stressed that the process of training at the Academy of Public Administration should not be too long. However, a future government official should acquire profound knowledge. “He or she should have a good command of foreign languages. It is very bad that civil servants now use the services of translators to talks to their colleagues and experts abroad. They also need the knowledge of law and especially economics. Administration skills are also important,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.

The President also criticized the Information and AnalyticalCenter under the aegis of the Belarus President Administration which is meant to be the best expert, analytical center in the country. Aleksandr Lukashenko is not satisfied with the performance of the NationalPressCenter either.

The head of state added that all responsible agencies should be involved in the process of making decisions coming from the Belarus President Administration.

“My requirements to the optimization of the state apparatus are the same. Continuous personnel renewal is needed. Only devoted and diligent people willing to work and be useful for the state should stay. There is no alternative,” the head of state stressed. “Red tape reduction, the ideological and personnel policy, economic analysis, legal regulation in the work of the president are the key issues,” the head of state emphasized.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, it is inadmissible when ill-considered documents are brought to him for signing. “I cannot and should not analyze all of them at the expert level. I should just formalize and sign some of them without reading,” the President noted. “In six or twelve month you bring the amendments and addenda to these documents. It means that you had submitted unfinished documents to the president for signing.”

“All instructions of the President must be immediately fulfilled,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

The optimization in the Belarus President Administration will affect 30% of employees. The optimization and improvement of work are, first of all, aimed at the efficient fulfillment of tasks which should play a major role in the Belarus President Administration.

The optimization of the Belarus President Administration should be carried out starting from 1 May when a corresponding decree will enter into force. This is just the first step in the process to reduce the number of civil servants in the country.