"Finance Sings Romances"

• 11.06.2026, 15:21

What's happening at BelZhD?

The Belarusian Railways is facing a catastrophic shortage of workers. Belarusians don’t want to work there, and Pakistanis and Nepalese have refused to go for the wages offered. What is happening at this important enterprise, and why are the wages so low and the treatment of workers so disrespectful?

This question was posed by the website Charter97.org asked former political prisoner and trade union leader Gennady Fedynych:

— Most likely, the situation at BelZhD today is far from ideal. The losses that BelZhD has suffered are indeed real. And the people here are in no way to blame. Second question: I don’t know how reliable this information is, but, in my opinion, some people simply left Belarus as specialists.

As for the future situation, look: there are no shipments to the West, including freight. Not to mention passenger traffic. And the fact that BelZhD operates only to Russia will never save it. You have to want to and know how to make money so that people don’t leave.

Right now, it seems like their finances are, excuse me, in shambles, yet they’re forcing people to work. Because there aren’t enough people, that means someone has to do the work for someone else. And it’s clear that this isn’t acceptable to the workers. That’s why some people leave and find other jobs elsewhere that pay better.

The system itself has failed, and the sanctions imposed against the Lukashenko regime have taken effect. And here, both the leadership of BelZhD and the country’s leadership must take responsibility. The blame for this situation lies with them.