Zaika: Belaruskali Is To Be Sold For State Debts

Authorities are playing games instead of concerning themselves with economic development.

Economist Leanid Zaika said that in his interview to charter97.org.

– Compared with the beginning of the year, the total national debt has increased by $ 3 billion. What does this mean for Belarus?

– Belarus’ foreign debt amounts to 13-14 billion US dollars. However, the overall debt, which is about 40 billion, is more important for the real situation. If it increases by 5-6%, we will just have to sell the potash plant for 30 billion and will be looking at how the Chinese are producing potash. For that, we will have no debts.

As for the state debt service, all the money is taken from the population with the use of tax revenue and not only. I have calculated that if to take all the debt payments (they totaled 4 billion last year), then it would be possible to build 100,000 small apartments with this money could and hand them to each school graduate. If not for this debt, we would be able to provide all the graduates with their own apartments within a year. Therefore, all these existing debts reduce our standard of living. That's all.

– Does it turn out that Belarus applies for loans allegedly to carry out reforms, but in fact uses them to pay off debts?

– There are still slightly less fools in the West and in Russia, than in Belarus. Therefore, if a Belarusian fool asks Russians for money to pay off a debt to an international organization, the Russians, as well as the world, will say: you live too risky, you wouldn’t make profit, so we won’t give you anything. They also can say the following: we can give you money if you, for example, allow us to privatize an automobile plant. Therefore, the practice of lending money to pay other debts is not acceptable. We can get a credit can only on such terms: we will give it to you, but you then let us gather strawberries or potatoes with Depardieu in Lukashenka’s vegetable garden.

Belarus has received some support from Russia. Last year, four billion were given, this year – three. Something has been ripped out, something has been obtained by request. The question is not, whether the authorities pay off the debts, the question is, why have they taken them? Let them name those, who have done that: their wives, children and relatives. Let them take the consequences.

Belarusians have to sacrifice, that’s for sure. But a tractor plant or potash plant means nothing for a Belarusian, because he is not the owner, he has not got its shares, bureaucrats are just playing a game with him called “The Fool.” Perhaps are playing the “Throw-In Fool.” They are throwing in, and you are the fool.