Leanid Zayika: Iranian project has nothing to do with the state interests :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus signed the agreement with the Iranian authorities on oil mining in the southern part of the country. It is presumed that in two years 40 thousand barrels of oil are to be mined daily under the two-phased project of USD 450 million value. This agreement is commented on by head of the analytical center “Strategiya” Leanid Zayika to the Charter’97 press center.

According to the economist if the relationship of Belarus with Russia were normal than the implementation of this project would be hardly reasonable. The Belarusian top-level governmental officials are used to making good money on the Russian cheap oil and are not going to drop it. “Belarus is selling abroad the petrochemicals for approximately USD 6 billion, petrol being sold to the USA at the price of 45 cents per liter. However for local consumers a litter of fuel costs a dollar and something”, the economist reports.

“Petrochemicals have made our top-level officials greedy. The money which is to be invested in the Iranian project could be more reasonably spent in Belarus on manufacture of high-tech output, on improvement of the high-tech park. The Iranian oil is not to be transported to Belarus as it is economically unprofitable. It will be sold out at the place of its mining. But who is to monitor the financial cleanliness of the deals?” the expert asks the rhetorical question.

There are no visible prospects of this project efficiency. ”Nobody may guarantee that after the joint oil-mining Iranians will be selling us cheap oil. The aggravation of the Iran –USA relations has not been taken into account either. It may result in the only opportunity left for us that is looking at how our investments are directly burning in the fire of the US bombing”, the economist warns.

The Belarusian top-level officials, according to the expert, are to continue making money at the taxpayers’ expense. “The smell of oil attracts the top –level official beasts of prey. Very often their actions have nothing to do with the state interests”, Leanid Zayika concludes.