A. Lukashenko demands to minimize the development of state programs and concepts

17 January, Minsk /BelTA/. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko demands to minimize formalism in the work of authorities and to exclude in the future such practices as the development of concepts, programs, and other similar documents for already elaborated areas of the state's life, where it is clear and understandable what and how needs to be done without additional paperwork. Everything should be subordinated to concrete work, real deeds, not to "paper-making". He stated this on January 17 at a meeting on the republican program "Youth of Belarus" for 2011-2015, BelTA was informed by the press service of the Head of State. A draft of the republican program "Youth of Belarus" for the five-year period was presented to the President for consideration. Similar programs have been adopted in the country since 1996. The developers defined the principal feature of the current one as the active involvement of youth in the country's life, making full use of its potential – mobility, initiative, receptiveness to new technologies, and innovations. The five-year program proposed solutions to such tasks as patriotic education of youth, assistance in professional orientation and employment of young citizens in their free time from studies, provision of state support for young families, development of youth socially significant initiatives, promotion of a healthy lifestyle among youth, development of international youth cooperation, and others. However, Alexander Lukashenko expressed doubt about the necessity of adopting this youth program. In the President's opinion, a system for working with youth has already been established in the country, financial resources have been allocated, as well as who will be at the center and in the regions implementing the main activities with youth. "The question arises: why are we developing this program? Is it because we lack something or we don't know how to proceed in this area of working with youth, or have we not defined something in working with youth, or do we lack some structures to work with youth? Or have we not conceptually and substantively defined in the country's five-year socio-economic development program the path we will take and how we will act regarding youth? In my opinion, these are purely rhetorical questions," said the Head of State.

"Why do we need this programme? To draft yet another document, put it in a drawer somewhere, and occasionally show it to everyone, saying, 'Look how well we work with the youth'? Or is this programme vitally necessary?" the President asked a pertinent question. "Alright, that's in the past; perhaps we didn't know how to act, we gathered, we defined directions, we brainstormed certain areas of activity. But today, everything is clear. Therefore, the question arises: do we need this programme or not, what's new in it compared to what we are already doing in practice," he said. According to the Head of State, the foregoing applies to government bodies in general for the future. "In principle, I am raising the issue of eliminating such a practice of work in the future as the formation of concepts, programmes, and other unnecessary and empty documents," he noted. "No programmes and no concepts. Programmes and concepts are needed only when and where we are starting something new, where we need to define conceptually, concentrate resources. Because we clutter up our work ourselves or pretend to work well by generating programmes. This is my fundamental position." The President said that he had already rejected several such programmes. "We don't need creative groups to write the obvious, and we don't need to spend money on it. It's better to spend it on youth, on families, children, veterans. I am listing these areas because one could also develop some concepts and programmes for them," he noted. "No formalism, starting from January and henceforth, should exist. We need to write and do what we need. We need to move on to concrete work with the youth. And the fact that something didn't work out with the youth somewhere is not because there was no programme or the funding was insufficient. But because no one worked with the youth, they weren't even told the basics. They didn't visit universities, vocational schools, let alone schools. Therefore, we need to work on the fundamental issues with youth, children, veterans – and everything will work out," stressed Alexander Lukashenko. The participants of the meeting presented their arguments in favour of adopting the programme, but the President found them unconvincing. He pointed to the weak practical implementation of measures for working with youth and the lack of targeted work with this segment of society. Alexander Lukashenko called for a conceptual approach to youth engagement. He stressed the need to move beyond outdated methods and seek new approaches, taking into account current realities. "Start by focusing on specifics!" he demanded. "We need to do something in the sphere of youth. Today's youth are the people who will take over from us tomorrow; they must take the country into their hands and carry it forward, defending independence and sovereignty, ensuring a normal image, and so on. What should be done? Sit down and think!" said Alexander Lukashenko. "Think about what we need to do in our work with youth, from the President down to the primary organisations of public associations." The Head of State also highlighted that funds will not be allocated thoughtlessly to any areas through programmes. Only specific activities yielding significant returns will be financed. He also warned of personal responsibility for every rouble spent. -0-

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