$100 duty on shopping abroad

The idea was proposed by Lukashenka.

The ruler ordered to impose an exit duty on the Belarusians who prefer shopping abroad. He made this statement during a visit to Motovelo plant.

“Out people criticise that we are a poor country, but they take up to 3 billion dollars from the country and import rubbish that we also produce here. I gave an order a long time ago: if you go abroad to buy this rubbish, pay a duty,” Lukashenka said.

The ruler announced a supposed sum of money that amateurs of shopping abroad will have to pay, Interfax news agency reports.

“It will look like that: we provide you services on the border, you pay $100 per person and go abroad,” he said.

In this case, Lukashenka continued, “they [people going abroad] will come to our shop and buy our fridge instead of importing this rubbish of unknown origin from the EU”. Europeans “are happy: they received 3 billion dollars from us, their trade and industry develop, while we are floudering here like fools,” he added.

“Why do we create conditions for importing goods to the country on preferential terms,” Lukashenka asked. “We have our own fridges. Why create preferential conditions to import them from foreign countries?”