Dictator calls mediators spongers

And demands to regulate their activity.

Belarus needs to review approaches of regulating trade mediation activities, which take criminal features, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said on Thursday after hearing a report on trade mediation activity regulation, Interfax-Zapad news agency informs.

“The problem demands a systematic and consistent approach. The state and economy suffer losses due to a stratum of spongers reaping benefits from speculations,” Lukashenka said.

He also noted “the problem is acquiring criminal features. Mediators are mainly relatives, children, close friends of certain officials, who buy goods, both Belarusian and imported.”