We asked what awaits them in a few years and what will help them move forward.
Minsk and regional centres continue to attract people from the regions.
However, in this situation, what awaits small towns in ten or twenty years? Will they gradually begin to disappear from the map of the country?
Tochka.by talked about this with analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research Iryna Rusak.
At the same time, we learned what could give small settlements a new impetus for development.
Will they repeat the fate of villages?
The expert does not deny that urbanisation has already significantly changed Belarus. If in the early 1960s about 70% of the country’s population lived in rural areas, now it is slightly more than 20%.
Still, this does not mean that small towns will face the same fate as villages.
If we talk about settlements with a population of approximately 3 to 20 thousand people, then in ten years they will continue to exist, even despite the outflow of residents to the capital and other large cities.
“Small cities cannot and should not compete with Minsk in terms of the scale of the labour market, the concentration of universities, government structures or the variety of services provided,” the expert highlights.
According to her, their competitiveness is based on something else.
What is attractive in small towns
As Iryna Rusak specifies, there are plenty of advantages there: a calm pace, closeness to nature, more affordable housing and lower everyday expenses.
Moreover, some of these advantages can only become more significant over time. Research and opinion polls show that the demands of Belarusians themselves are changing.
“Young people increasingly value environmental friendliness and the ability to work remotely. Middle-aged people are also becoming interested in a more relaxed life, without the hustle and bustle of large cities,” the expert says.
In addition, more and more Belarusians want to live in their own home, rather than in an apartment. In small towns, where there are many one-story buildings with land plots, it is easier to fulfil this desire.
What does it take to grow?
The attractiveness of small towns largely depends on the availability of work, good infrastructure, including digital, and the availability of necessary services.
The proximity of major highways can be an advantage: residents of such settlements can commute to work in the regional centre or the capital.
For families with children, high-quality medicine and education are especially important, and entrepreneurs would prefer conditions for business development. It also matters how effectively local authorities work.
“And at the moment a new trend is emerging: the city’s ability to find its own specialisation,” Iryna Rusak states.
How to find own niche
According to the analyst, there is no universal recipe for small cities. Everyone may have their own strengths that can give impetus to development.
“Niasvizh can rely on historical and cultural heritage, developing tourism and the service sector. Navahrudak has similar potential: historical sites, festivals and existing infrastructure make it possible to create a tourism cluster here,” the expert gives examples.
Pastavy, Miory, Klimavichy and Karelichy also have their own growth points. They can rely on event tourism — primarily local festivals.
Kamianiets, Braslau, Vierkhniadzvinsk, Iwje and Voranava have other trump cards. Depending on the city, that means cultural heritage, natural opportunities or close-to-border location.
“It is worth remembering about single-industry towns that depend on the city-forming enterprise. In Belarus, for example, this is Astraviets, which has already shown how a large project can give a small town a powerful impetus and significantly change its further development,” Rusak underlines.
Another possible scenario is the emergence of small satellite cities near larger centres. Moreover, they may have different specialisations.
Source: ТОЧКА
