President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, at a meeting on the development of the scientific sphere, outlined key tasks for the main players, BELTA correspondent reports.

Firstly, the President highlighted the issue of improving science funding mechanisms. "Here, first and foremost, is the hackneyed issue of GDP science intensity. This is the ratio of science expenditures to GDP," the head of state noted.

Alexander Lukashenko remarked that the calculation methodology is also important here, so that everything is objective and corresponds to the real state of affairs.

The President announced the need for concrete solutions to increase GDP science intensity through various sources. "We need to strive for more than one percent, and preferably two (of GDP. - BELTA note)," he said.

"It is necessary to examine whether the list of directions for spending innovation fund resources is optimal and how the use of these funds affects GDP science intensity. I remind you, innovations are investments in novelties. Is it always like this for us?" the head of state posed the question.

Secondly, the situation persists where scientific research is conducted on the principle of "doing what we can, not what is needed." "In turn, enterprises, instead of ordering developments in Belarus, invest huge funds in importing foreign technologies and equipment, thereby becoming dependent. But we can do everything, and even without dictatorship. Perhaps it is necessary at first (to import this or that equipment. - BELTA's note). But then we need to localize. And repeat it at a higher level. We must strive for this," the head of state noted. "And at some enterprises, there is a general trend of working without development, when no innovations are needed. This should not be the case."

To change this situation, Alexander Lukashenko instructed each ministry to annually form a "development task list" for its sphere and transfer it to representatives of academic, university, and industry science. "At the same time, if such a development meets all the specified criteria, the customer will be obliged to ensure its implementation. And the responsibility for this will also lie with them. But science must also offer its developments proactively," the President said.

He instructed the head of the National Academy of Sciences to rebuild these processes within the first half of 2026. "Then we will immediately understand whether our science can meet the needs of the real sector and where we need to strive," the head of state noted.

The third task concerns personnel issues. "It is necessary to develop a package of systemic measures to solve the problem of aging and attrition of scientific personnel. When I say 'aging,' I don't mean age. It's not about age," Alexander Lukashenko noted.

According to the head of state, the main thing for scientists is that "the head works" and there is a desire to achieve new results and move science forward. And a particular age often does not have a decisive significance in this regard.

"I have already said that some people in our country have seemingly become scientists, defended their dissertations, and even strived or strive to discover something, but they bow to this Western science. It is undesirable, of course, for them to leave. Well, go ahead, go through the 'dishwashing' stage, figuratively speaking. Perhaps something will come of it. But you are most useful where you were born. Start working here and deliver results," the Belarusian leader advised.

In this regard, Alexander Lukashenko also drew attention to the fact that by the end of their lives, people usually return to their homeland. "Therefore, we need to think about where we will return," the head of state urged.

"A scientist needs to be helped, I don't argue. Discoveries and inventions do not appear overnight or in a month. We need to think about how we will finance and support them. But only within the framework of programs that the State Committee on Science and Technology will determine with you, and which we will need," the President noted. "Everything that we need today must be paid for. There is always money for this. It's just that we, the Belarusian people, are not used to throwing money around. There is no 'helicopter money'."

The Government, together with the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, has been instructed to constantly monitor salary levels in science and education and prevent disparities.

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