Nothing to boast with…

• 28.11.2007, 15:34

Belarus takes 64th position on the list of Human Development Index. According to the UN Development Program report on human development for 2007-2008, the human development index in Belarus reaches 0.804. “It is nothing more but a small shift within statistical error which is not absolute,” head of Mizes Center yaraslau Ramanchuk says. According to the economist, Belarus came up two positions higher a couple of years ago.

“I wouldn’t call it a breakthrough,” the independent expert says. “Belarus was 67 in 2005. In 2004, when salaries didn’t reach $200 and pensions were below $100, Belarus was 62. This proves that the index cannot be treated as an absolute figure.” The economist is convinced that in order to give an adequate esteem to the country’s achievement it’s necessary to compare the dynamics of the development of this index with other countries.

“In early 90s we were close to Estonia, Lithuania, Poland. Now Poland is 37, Lithuania 43, and Estonia 44. We’re 20 positions lower,” the economist compares.

As the experts of internet newspaper “Zavtra tvoyey strany” remark, adults education index (99.6 percent) prevents from falling to the bottom of the list: here the country is 33rd.

“This index features the great support of the state for science and education. But what is the feedback? The share of high-tech export makes only 3 percent of the industrial goods produced in the country,” Yaraslau Ramanchuk says.

Yaraslau Ramanchuk predicts that despite the current energy problems and social changes, next year Belarus will still be listed among the countries with a high human development index. “The nature of the trends linked to human potential development is either medium or long term,” the expert emphasizes. “There’ll be no abrupt decline of this index. But at the same time we must take into account that the Belarusian government boast with formal indexes.”