# Villages in Belarus - life or survival?
<br>
![](https://i.imgur.com/9AIGj6K.jpg)
*The inscription on the sign is "**2018 in Belarus - the Year of the Little Motherland**".*

The president's decision in 2018 in Belarus was [officially declared](http://www.belta.by/president/view/godom-maloj-rodiny-objjavlen-2018-god-v-belarusi-288746-2018) the year of "*Little Motherland*". First, let's look at what "*small homeland*" is. In simple terms, "*small homeland*" is the place where a person was born. In most cases, a "*small homeland*" is understood as a village. Many officials and ministers, including the president himself, come from rural areas. In other words, the peasants who seized power. The main task of 2018 is to improve the condition of the villages.

In reality, ordinary people who live in villages often face many problems. The infrastructure of villages is constantly deteriorating. Life in the village turns into daily survival. Living conditions are at a low level. In many houses, there is no sewage system and central water supply. The lack of work and prospects forces people to "give up" (to despair) and start drinking alcohol. Alcoholism is a serious disease that affects most of the inhabitants of Belarusian villages. The actions of the authorities are aimed at reducing such people.

![](https://i.imgur.com/DdmZybs.jpg)
[Source](http://timeallnews.com/2577-zhizn-v-belorusskih-dereven-30-foto.html)

On television and official websites show a completely different picture of what is happening. Today I will tell you what is really happening ...

### Villages - an endangered species of settlements in Belarus

In total there are [706 villages in Belarus](https://domovita.by/wiki/term/derevni). Their number is constantly decreasing as the villages die out and cease to exist. This trend has been going on for a long time. In particular, the president and his numerous decrees and laws contributed to this.

![](https://i.imgur.com/YSrTt92.jpg)

Workplaces in the villages are only on collective farms. Virtually all collective farms (except private ones) are completely controlled by the state. In addition, the vast majority of collective farms are in a state of decline. The products they produce (particularly milk) are ultimately sold at a low cost. The state obliges collective farms to sell milk only to Belarusian dairy plants and only at the low cost. The only task of dairies is to process cheap milk and sell it at an inflated price. Simple business. As a result, the collective farms have very little money. There is little revenue, which means that the wages on the collective farms are at an extremely low level.

![](https://i.imgur.com/V1XWjor.jpg)
[Source](https://news.tut.by/society/376149.html)

For the younger generation, there is no perspective work. Not every guy or girl sees his future as a tractor driver or a milkmaid. Without seeing the prospects for development and good work, the younger generation leaves the villages. They are looking for a better life in the cities. To live in the villages there are only those who have nowhere to go - the elderly and middle-aged people. These are people who do not have the opportunity to leave their "small homeland".

As a result, time passes and villages are emptied. After the last inhabitant dies, the village becomes dead (has no inhabitants). If none of the relatives claims the abandoned house, then after a while this house is subject to demolition. Most often this is exactly what happens because it is not economically profitable to support a village house. Especially if this house is located far from the city. Thus, the village ceases to exist.

![](https://i.imgur.com/n24BNhl.png)
[Source](https://www.liveinternet.ru/journalshowcomments.php?jpostid=94203706&journalid=2216771&go=next&categ=0).  The inscription on the sign - "**on this place there was a village**"

### Work or pay

![](https://i.imgur.com/BVKNXbL.jpg)
[Source](https://naviny.by/node/360367/href)

The state came up with a new law to make young people stay in the villages. According to this law, anyone who receives education on a budgetary basis must undergo ["Work-off"](https://sputnik.by/society/20180131/1033357251/skolko-zaplatit-chtoby-ne-otrabatyvat-voprosy-o-raspredelenii.html). ***Work-off*** is the forced employment of graduates of educational institutions for low-skilled work.

Officially, it is considered that there is "free" education in Belarus. But in the end, those who study "for free" fall into slavery. Such people are officially called - young specialists. Depending on the education received (secondary or higher), the term of such "working off" can last from 2 to 5 years. Most often, graduates are forced to work in rural areas (collective farms) or other unclaimed enterprises.

![](https://i.imgur.com/t8fk3Kw.jpg)
[Source](http://forum.dpni.org/showthread.php?p=887231&t=60643)

The obvious fact is that most graduates do not want to work under duress. But the laws work against ordinary people. If a young specialist refuses to work he will [have problems](https://finance.tut.by/news544439.html). Anyway, he will be forced to work or pay. Yes, the only legal way to avoid "working off" is to pay money to the state. But the amount that is required to pay is quite high. Given the financial situation in the country, not many people can afford to pay such money (amounts of several thousand dollars). For this reason, young people are not working at the collective farms on their own will.

### The place where "simple" people do not live

![](https://i.imgur.com/KThYL86.jpg)
[Source](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1yUulzZIARAZTFCIa5cuF7myaPbU&ll=53.94069880518198%2C27.49262583995062&z=17)

Looking at the current situation that has unfolded around the villages, a natural question arises ... And are there any good villages in Belarus? or in simple words - the villages in which people want to live. The answer is located in a cozy area in the north-west of the city of Minsk. (Minsk is the capital of Belarus)

![](https://i.imgur.com/hA1eJVl.jpg)
[Source](http://www.belaruspartisan.org/m/life/283185/)

But alas, this is not a simple village like I mentioned at the beginning of this post. It is a cozy cottage community in which ministers, businessmen, high-ranking officials and other "not ordinary" Belarusians live. The main attraction of this village is the "secret" residence of the president. But this is a subject for another post.

![](https://i.imgur.com/OOclG7a.png)
[Source](https://nn.by/?c=ar&i=104400&lang=ru). The wife of one of the Minsk's hockey teams head coach.

The cost of houses in this village starts at $ 1.5 million. This is the price of a house without repair and finishing (just windows, walls and ceiling). The house with full finishing costs about 2.5 million dollars. The trend is that every year there are more such houses. In addition, their price is also growing. 

![](https://i.imgur.com/pYynKA6.png)
[Source](https://udf.by/news/sobytie/74211-car.em-zhivet.html) Modest home of the head coach of one of the hockey teams.

Here is what the "little homeland" looks like in which "servants of the people" live. They do not care about the standard of living of ordinary inhabitants of the Belarusian villages. They do not care that many of them live in terrible conditions in the poverty line.

### System in operation

![](https://i.imgur.com/ud3lvy4.jpg)
[Source](http://timeallnews.com/2577-zhizn-v-belorusskih-dereven-30-foto.html)

In this part of the report, I want to tell you about the unpleasant incident that occurred in the Vitebsk region (note - one of the regions of Belarus). Before the official visit of Lukashenka, an entire [village was destroyed](https://www.svaboda.org/a/24789135.html). In the village, there were only 9 houses. All the tenants were ordered to move elsewhere. The reason for this was that this village was not far from the road on which the president was supposed to go.

 Local officials did not want to upset the dictator and therefore ordered to destroy the whole village. Local residents were prohibited from taking photos and video shooting. One of the residents ignored the instructions of the authorities and began to shoot everything on her smartphone. For these police officers beat her and broke her smartphone.
 
![](https://i.imgur.com/sLzQQmb.jpg)
[Source](https://udf.by/news/sobytie/print:page,1,70850-pered-priezdom-lukashenko-pod-vitebskom-razrushili-derevnyu.html) **Photo from the scene**
 
 Feeling helpless, the locals turned to state television. But they did not receive any answers. They were ignored. After that, they turned to independent journalists for help. Thanks to their efforts and proactive work, this story became known to the public. Unfortunately, this did not stop the [destruction of the village](https://udf.by/news/sobytie/print:page,1,70850-pered-priezdom-lukashenko-pod-vitebskom-razrushili-derevnyu.html).
 
 This is one example of the work of the state system for the rehabilitation of villages. Instead of restoring the old villages, they destroy them. Official Media talk about the development of villages. In reality, there is degradation. Villages in Belarus have always been a calling card. They have always been the soul of the country.
 
 ![](https://i.imgur.com/jYUf0iw.jpg)

 
 If the events develop according to the same scenario, then in the future the villages will turn into the Belarusian ghetto.

Authored by Belarus Insider
 


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