Hydrometeorological Centre lays off 370 employees

The Belarusian Hydrometeorological Centre has cut staff.

The statement was made by Ihar Rahozin, the head of the hydrometeorological department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The layoff took place in accordance with Lukashenka's decree No. 168 of April 12, 2013 “On Certain Measures to Optimise the System of Administration Bodies and Other State Organisations, the Personnel Structure of These Organisations”, BelaPAN news agency reports.

The layoffs targeted the administrative and managerial staff of meteorological and gauging stations. The number of tasks performed by the meteorological centre was reduced.

He stressed the personnel cut was a “rather serious and difficult issue”, because Belarus accepted a number of obligations of the World Meteorological Organization and other international structures.