Belarusian president is attempting to shift responsibility for unemployment onto government and local authorities

President Lukashenka instructed to find jobs for all unemployed by May 1^st, 2017. The presidential administration has stepped up pressure on the government and local authorities to create jobs and inflate people’s incomes. The authorities are likely to curtail layoffs and resume excessive employment policy at state enterprises to halt the dynamics of people’s participation in street protests. However, most likely, amid the absence of economic reforms and unfavourable external economic environment, local authorities would be prompted to sabotage the top leadership’s task. If so, President Lukashenka is likely to attempt to boost his ratings by criticising local authorities and, possibly, reshuffling the government.