The agenda included discussion of a legal act concerning childcare benefits.
The head of state emphasized that parents in Belarus receive very substantial financial support. There are lump-sum payments at childbirth (around Br5,000 for the first child and more than Br7,000 for the second and subsequent children). There is a family capital program for large families — currently over Br35,000. And there are monthly allowances of at least Br1,000.
«It would seem — just have children! They’ll be fully supported by the state. But the modern world has become too pragmatic. Young people first seek to establish themselves — through education and career — and only afterward consider having children,» the president said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that just 10 years ago, Belarusians’ standard of living was half of what it is today: GDP per capita in 2015 was about $18,000, while in 2025 it was roughly $35,000. «But twice as many children were born back when we were poorer (nearly 120,000 in 2015 versus 55,000 in 2025),» the head of state observed.
«To keep our nation from disappearing and to ensure there’s a workforce to keep the country going, it’s as simple as two plus two: two parents — two children. That’s the baseline, as the young people say. And better yet — three or more,» the president stressed. «Therefore, at the state level, we need to find a workable formula that, first, will reinvigorate demographic trends. Second, it will motivate people toward conscious motherhood and fatherhood and make them a trend. That way, we will preserve and grow our population.»
To address demographic challenges, the government has proposed a radical overhaul of state support for families with children. Before arriving at specific decisions, the president outlined a number of fundamental questions. «Is there a guarantee that expanding financial incentives will actually give a boost to the birth rate?» Aleksandr Lukashenko asked. The head of state also inquired about international experience, the long-term effect (over five years or more) of substantial state support, and its impact on the budget and the country’s economy.
