Lev Marholin: It's Time for a New Political System

The authority will not take any reforms voluntarily.

Amid fantastic promises to Belarusians in a "five-year" program that should be adopted by the "All-Belarusian Assembly" there is a point about "release" of private business.

Moreover, it is proposed to introduce administrative (and when repetition - criminal) responsibility for intervention of officials of law enforcement (controlling, supervisory) bodies in the legitimate activity of market participants.

Will so severe measures be applied to them?

Marholin: It's time to change a political system

- Who is to be tried? Lukashenka, who gives orders to head of the State Control Committee or his subordinates?, economist Lev Marholin is puzzled in the interview of Zautra Tvaye Krainy.

In his opinion, first there is a need to change the political system to release a business initiative.

- To make every branch of the government do its own business. Then neither Lukashenka nor the "parliament" will comprehend to check activity of enterprises, the analyst says.

According to the expert, there is also a need to take reforms in law enforcement and judicial system.

- To avoid "a phone right" to give orders and to make all people equal before the law, Lev Marholin stresses.

However, the economist doubts current authorities will undertake these reforms because they conflict with an existing management system of the country.

Zaika: Business does not require public assistance

Leader of Strategy analytical centre Leanid Zaika believes that all suggestions on the release of business activity and private property protection will be forgotten as soon as the last applause after Lukashenka's speech dies away.

–Bureaucracy at places is predatory and knows well about the situation. They can make any businessman shut up, rob and invent the taxes which could close every door, the expert emphasizes.

He is convinced that after the adoption of other programme nothing will change in the country.

- Everything will be the same. The authorities will interfere in business which bureaucrats and their children do. This is so-called business under cover. So, I consider plans towards liberalisation of business as the call of the CPSU Central Committee to Santa Clauses, the analyst says.

According to him, business in Belarus does not need any state assistance.

- A mere thing is needed: do not touch businessmen and give them property they lease. There is a need for the government to forget about entrepreneurs and the word "business", Leanid Zaika offers.