Living In Belarus: An Expat's Perspective

Life in Belarus is heavily influenced by the country's political landscape, which is often described as a dictatorship. The country is run by authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 and is widely regarded as the last dictator in Europe. Under his rule, Belarus has become one of the most repressive countries in Europe, with severe restrictions on political freedoms and widespread human rights violations. The country's economy remains largely state-controlled, and the lack of private ownership inhibits innovation and contributes to government inefficiency. Despite these challenges, Belarus has an above-average standard of living, with adequate education and good public health indicators. The country is also known for its vast landscape, architecture, and scenic villages, making it an attractive location for those seeking a slower pace of life.

Politics and government

Politics in Belarus takes place within a framework of a presidential republic, with a bicameral parliament. The President of Belarus is the head of state, and executive power is nominally exercised by the government, at the top of which sits a Prime Minister, appointed directly by the President.

The President has the power to enact decrees that are executed in the same way as laws, and the constitution grants the President the right to prolong their term in office and to rule by decree. The President is technically independent of all political parties, and elections are not considered free and fair by international monitors. Opponents of the regime are repressed, and the media is not free.

The bicameral parliament, the National Assembly, consists of the Council of the Republic and the House of Representatives. Members of the Council serve four-year terms; most are elected by regional councils, but a small number are appointed by the President. Members of the House are popularly elected to serve four-year terms.

There are more than a dozen registered political parties in Belarus, but political success has depended more on loyalty to the President than on party affiliation. Parties supportive of the President include the Communist Party of Belarus (KPB), the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus, and the Agrarian Party. Opposition parties include the Party of Communists of Belarus (PKB), the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), the Conservative-Christian Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, the United Civic Party, and the Belarusian Social Democrats.

The Council of Europe has barred Belarus from membership since 1997 due to voting irregularities, and the Belarusian government has been criticized by Human Rights Watch for human rights violations and its actions against NGOs, independent journalists, national minorities, and opposition politicians. The EU has also imposed sanctions on Belarus for its authoritarian and anti-democratic practices.

The centralization of power in Belarus has been described as a legacy of communism, and the country has been referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship". However, some argue that this centralization has enabled Belarus to preserve other features of the Soviet system, such as public ownership of land, free universal healthcare, free childcare, and relatively even wealth distribution.

Healthcare

The country has a universal healthcare system, with services mostly provided through government-owned facilities, allowing citizens to receive free treatment. However, there is a small private medicine sector, mostly in dentistry. Some state-provided services do attract a charge, and it is common to give healthcare workers gifts or money to ensure good treatment.

In 1994, there were 42 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, and 127 hospital beds per 10,000 people. As of 2015, there were 0.00519 physicians per 1,000 people, and 10.8 beds per 1,000 as of 2014.

Life expectancy at birth in Belarus is estimated at 79.2 years for women and 69.3 years for men, granting the country a ranking of 139th in the world. Major public health concerns include alcohol, tobacco, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Belarus has one of the highest rates of annual alcohol consumption per person in the world, with an average of 17.5 litres. In 2011, 50.4% of men and 10.2% of women reported smoking daily.

Education

The current structure of the educational system was established by decree in 1994 and is based on The Education Code of the Republic of Belarus and other educational standards. There are four stages: preschool education, primary school education, secondary school education, and higher education. Primary and secondary school education is compulsory, and children usually start school at the age of six. The school year begins on September 1 and ends in late May, and it is divided into four terms. At the end of each term, pupils have holidays.

The basic goal of school is to provide pupils with knowledge of particular subjects, including Russian and Belarusian Language and Literature, Maths, a foreign language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, IT, and PE. After nine years of basic education, students must pass the basic educational curriculum and are given a certificate by the state. They can then enter a professional technical institution where they can focus on completing their high school education and studying for a professional certificate.

Completion of 11 years of school or a professional certificate allows students to enter higher educational establishments. To enter a university, an applicant needs to present up to three test certificates in different academic disciplines. The number of certificates depends on the chosen specialty and the presence of internal exams.

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) finds that Belarus is fulfilling 90.8% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to education based on the country's level of income. The literacy rate of the adult population is one of the world's highest (99.7%), while 98% of the country's population completed at least nine years of schooling. Belarus has one of the highest student-to-population ratios in Europe, and its higher education system is seen as prestigious due to its high quality and affordability.

Employment

Termination of Contracts

• If both parties agree
• If the contract's term expires and neither party wants to continue the employment relationship
• If either party—the employer or the employee—initiates termination
• If the employee agrees to be transferred to another employer or is moved to an elective position
• If the employee disagrees with relocating to follow the employer, or disagrees with new labour conditions, a new owner, or company reorganisation
• In circumstances beyond the control of the parties
• If the contract is terminated after a probationary period

Dismissal

The Labour Code, specifically Article 42, outlines the regulations regarding dismissal in Belarus. While businesses are free to decide on their own form, system, and size of labour remuneration, the majority of Belarusian enterprises structure salaries according to a tariff system.

Maternity Leave

Belarus has one of the world's longest maternity leave policies. To increase the population and birth rate, the government has implemented measures to support mothers and large families. Paid maternity leave is 126 days, extending to 140 days in cases of medical complications or multiple births. Additionally, mothers are entitled to three years of unpaid maternity leave during which their job position must be kept open. If another child is born during this three-year period, the maternity leave entitlement starts anew.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons can be employed in Belarus, but the terms of their employment depend on their status of stay. Foreigners may stay in Belarus under three legal statuses: permanent resident, temporarily staying, or temporary resident.

Permanent residents can be employed under the same conditions as Belarusian citizens, except for certain positions restricted to nationals, such as police, military, and government service roles. Temporary residents, on the other hand, are employed based on a special permit, though some exceptions exist.

To employ a foreigner, Belarusian employers must obtain a special permit from the Citizenship and Migration Department and pay a state fee. Additionally, foreigners must provide specific documents, including ID, employment record books, documents certifying education or qualifications, insurance certificates, and medical certificates.

Language and culture

The official languages of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. However, the dominance of Russian in the country means that the Belarusian language is marginalised and is mostly absent from education, state media, and government affairs. Russian is the primary language of instruction in schools and universities, and in 1999, only 17% of pupils attended Belarusian-language elementary schools. By 2016, this figure had dropped to 13%. There are no Belarusian-language universities in the country.

Belarusian is one of the East Slavic languages and shares many grammatical and lexical features with Russian and Ukrainian. It is written in a variant of the Cyrillic script, which was first used for Old Church Slavonic. The Belarusian alphabet consists of thirty-two letters.

The earliest known documents from ethnic Belarusian territories date from the 12th century and are mostly saints' vitae and sermons written in the Church Slavonic language. Distinctively Belarusian culture began to emerge in the 16th century, and literary activity in Belarus dates back to the 11th century.

Belarusian cuisine incorporates locally grown crops, particularly potatoes, which feature in popular dishes such as potato dumplings, potato pancakes, and baked potato pie. Other common dishes include borsch (beet soup), pork stew, stuffed chicken, beef sausage, and meat- or cabbage-filled pastries. Traditional drinks include kvass, a fermented bread drink, and kompot, a berry juice. Vodka is the alcoholic drink of choice for many, although beer is becoming more popular, especially among younger people.

Belarusian folk music has a long history, and there is also a rich tradition of classical music, which has largely been a feature of the period since World War II. Notable composers include Kulikovich Shchahlow and Yawhen Tsikotski.

The most popular sport in Belarus is football (soccer), with most towns and villages boasting amateur and semi-professional teams. Basketball also has a wide following, and there are several professional teams. Other popular sports include ice hockey, athletics, gymnastics, and wrestling.

Despite the dominance of Russian in public life, there are efforts to promote the Belarusian language. Advertising campaigns support the cause, and some companies have introduced Belarusian into their branding. There are also informal language courses that have sprung up in Minsk and around Belarus, spurring further interest among young people in developing good Belarusian communication skills.

Frequently asked questions