More than 500 Mozyr residents, including factory workers, local business owners, parents of large families, youth, and retirees, joined the dialogue. Anyone interested was able to raise key concerns, offer proposals on various matters, and get the expert’s perspective on the current agenda under the nationwide outreach project Pulse of the Country: Facts, Trends, Meanings.

Aleksandr Shpakovsky highlighted the strategic potential of Mozyr and its district as a robust industrial and agricultural sector, while also noting aspects related to its proximity to the Ukrainian border. «It is difficult to ignore the fact that the geography of military conflicts has expanded along the country’s external perimeter, and global military spending is on the rise,» the speaker stated. «At the same time, Belarus continues its peaceful policy and builds up its economic potential. This does not mean we ignore threats. Belarus maintains its commitment to peaceful development, strengthening the country’s sovereignty and defense capabilities,» he added, noting that military provocations continue.

The speaker highlighted the country’s strong socio-economic standing and positive trends across various industries. For instance, household incomes and real wages have increased, driven by a multitude of domestic growth factors, he emphasized.

Mozyr resident Veronika Pavlova asked the speaker to identify the key tools for combating fake news in the media and how to protect against an influx of disinformation, particularly regarding military conflicts. «Society is digitalizing rapidly,» Aleksandr Shpakovsky stated. «The internet now plays a dominant role in news consumption, a trend that is here to stay. Some people spend up to 10 hours a day online. Navigating this massive volume of information requires skill. Consider this figure: last year, online scammers stole over Br54 million from Belarusians. Remarkably, 85% of the victims were aware of such scams but fell for them anyway. Therefore, the primary defense against these threats and fake news is legal, political, and digital literacy, which must be continuously developed.»

Yulia Veraksa, a mother of a large family, asked how to improve digital literacy among young people. According to the speaker, with unrestricted access to information, it is precisely a lack of deep knowledge and ideological resolve that poses risks for today’s youth. Digital temptations are numerous, ranging from historical distortions to aggressive online casino advertising. «While our youth are well-educated in digital literacy, they often lack a critical, well-rounded worldview,» he said. «It is vital not to fall into the traps set across the internet.»

Vyacheslav, a small business representative in the commercial real estate sector, asked the expert to assess the role of entrepreneurs in Belarus. «Already up to 50% of GDP is generated by privately owned enterprises. We did not break our economy, we did not conduct shock privatization like in other countries, but we gradually arrived at this. Of course, it is important to hear the voice of the private sector, but we also expect a patriotic attitude toward the country from private business owners,» he said.

Aleksandr Shpakovsky also noted that those working in the commercial sector need to be maximally involved in the state decision-making process. We should solicit their proposals and seek compromise approaches on various issues, including tax policy. «We would also like to see a response from responsible businesses, and such businesses do exist. I am confident that representatives of the commercial sector should not be overlooked in terms of state attention. It is important to listen to each other and interact,» he said.

The discussion also touched on the labor market. According to the expert, there is a great deal of misinformation and speculation on this topic online, but the objective picture points to stability in the country. «The Belarusian economy employs over 4.1 million people. Unemployment is at a record low. About 165,000 vacancies have been announced, 70% of which are in blue-collar occupations. Attracting skilled labor from abroad has become one of the elements of state policy in the labor market,» Aleksandr Shpakovsky cited data. At the same time, according to the speaker, the current number of foreign labor migrants does not exceed 1% of the total number of people employed in the country’s economy.

Yelena Nered from Mozyr noted that she was interested in hearing an expert opinion on security issues. «The border is very close to us, we all know what is happening with our neighbors. We want to preserve peace in our country, where there are so many opportunities. The people of Mozyr are hardworking, we have many strategic enterprises, everyone is trying to contribute. The city itself is changing for the better, and it is very noticeable. The maternity hospital is currently being renovated, and a new MRI room will be opened. Agriculture is also growing. We have everything we need for further development,» she shared.

«There should be as many such meetings as possible. The speaker is very competent and well-informed on a wide range of issues, from international affairs to the development of artificial intelligence and parent-child relationships. Many of the messages resonate and make you look at even well-known facts and events from a different perspective. It was important to hear up-to-date information about the country’s positions and course in the current circumstances,» said Andrei Gorodnitsky, a resident of Mozyr, after the meeting.

A retiree named Tatyana admitted that she was already familiar with the political scientist through his TV appearances, values his perspective on various topics, and thanked him for the opportunity to hear his views firsthand.

The participants discussed issues related to the military-political situation, labor migration, the social and economic situation, and the impact of Western sanctions on the country’s development.