Barys Zhaliba: Makej will not save Belarusian economy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot solve the key problems of the country’s economy.

Such an opinion came from a PhD in Economics professor Barys Zhaliba, as he commented for the charter97.org web-site on Makej’s critique of the MFA due to bad performance on selling out unmarketable goods.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot solve the key problems of the economy, and it is not its main task. MFA’s priority measures are political and diplomatic activities, legal issues, solving the problems of its citizens abroad etc. The second- and third-rate are economic tasks. As a ministry it may contribute to solving economic problems, but it is wrong to take the lead”, -the economist believes.

The expert pointed out that in our country Lukashenka puts economic issues on the first place.

“At our embassies they say that they receive letters from Belarus, saying that the stocks of light industry goods, for example, or TV-sets should be sold in this country or everything possible should be done to sell it. What can an ambassador do? Yes, he can travel, maker offers etc. If it is a developed country, then our goods meet neither quality nor any other standards. If this is a third world country, the ambassador may find some businessman, who would be interested. But such countries do not have money and they do not have wealthy businessmen. That is why I think that it is too much to put such tasks on the shoulders of the MFA, and it is being done out of despair”, - Barys Zhaliba is convinced.

We would remind that yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs Uladzimir Makej made a speech in which he criticized the achievements of the Ministry and foreign representations, analyzed key problematic issues with an especial stress on the foreign economy part, and the ways to solve the issues outlined in order to reach the fulfillment of the MFA’s 2014 goals.

Photo: Radio Svaboda