Leanid Zaika: I Will Calculate European Games Expenses For Officials For $1Million

The economist has told about the inexpediency of holding the European Olympic Games in the country.

As it is known, the Second European Sport Games will be held in 2019 in Belarus. The first ones took place in Azerbaijan, and according to some estimates, if we add the funds announced in the budget expenditures for the games for three years, the annual cost exceeds $ 5 billion. Meanwhile, the moods of the Belarusian sports officials on this issue remain rather optimistic, racyja.com reports.

“We won’t be in the negative, that is for certain, – Lukashenka’s assistant on the issues of physical culture and sports Maksim Ryzhankou said on the ONT TV-channel. – Even the expenditures which we bear will remain in the country. The European Olympic committees are ready to take over the other part of the expenses. We were allowed to use a student quarter for the Olympic village. Won’t it be good for our students? They will have a redecorated campus after the games.”

– I do not think that these games represent a very important and necessary event for the country. In addition, I also adopt a very cautious attitude to the officials, who claim that that there will be at least no losses for the budget, already today. For example, I know of no economist called Ryzhankou, although it turns out, everything is calculated. However, as a rule, all these events take place with a negative financial result, and a country that conducts such competitions usually hides the real information – how many losses there have been in spending money to building, guarding, transportation and so on.

Moreover, such activities add up many more inconveniences for Belarusians themselves, as they often block roads, introduce some restrictions. All expenses in general are difficult to quantify, and these costs are not small. Moreover, in 2014 Belarus' GDP has become 30 billion less. So I do not see much joy when, given the fall of our GDP and production, the budget will be entrusted with an additional load, - economist Leanid Zaika comments upon Ryzhankou’s statements.

– They say that Azerbaijan spent a total of about $ 5 billion when it hosted the European games, and our sports officials are literally thinking of profit…

– Again, sports officials are not economists, it is not a group of scientists who have sat down and counted everything. They also need to say something to support the initiative, supported by Lukashenka. However, I do not work as his assistant, and therefore ready to calculate the costs and revenues from the European games for a million dollars. If they need it.