Leanid Zaika: We'll buy bread in Russia soon

The new decision of the Customs Committee will make Belarusians go to Russia on shopping trips.

Restrictions on imporing certain goods by individuals are reported to take force on March 10, 2015. The restrictions will be applied to gas (electric) cooktops, cooker hoods, kitchen machines, microwave ovens, ovens, baths, shower cabins, sinks, wash bowls, bidets, toilet bowls, toilet tanks, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, coffee machines, sewing machines, water heaters, LCD computer monitors, laptops (netbooks), tablet computers, copying machines, air conditioners, grass-mowing machines (trimmers), vacuum cleaners, welding units, generators, car washing equipment , prams and strollers, outboard motors and civil weapons. Four tyres and four wheel plates can be brought into the county once in two years.

Economist Leanid Zaika explains to charter97.org that such a decision, as many others adopted lately in Belarus, is not wise. It has just one aim – to reduce the amount of foreign currency taken out of the country. Will Belarusians buy domestic analogues? Will they spend their foreign currency savings at home? These are rhetorical questions.

”The authorities want to control money of ordinary Belarusians. Why buy tyres in Europe? After the devaluation in Russia, I, for example, bought tyres there for $40 each. And it is right! Russia has become a very cheap country. Why buy computers if you can buy cheap quad-core Chinese tablets for $80? The government makes the youth buy more advanced devices,” the economist laughs.

– The Customs Union apparently wants to quickly earn money for the country. But what are long-term prospects?

– Officials are often backward. What's their problem with tyres? Do they want to support domestic manufacturers? Well, let our manufacturers work. If you have such an aim, you can find a Belarusian tyre for $23. But only those who don't have enough money will buy it.

I do not think these decisions were elaborated. Their task is to make Belarusians stop spending money abroad. But people will go to Russia. I warned several times about the results of the Customs Union. Belarusians will convert Belarusians rubles into dollars and go to Russia. You can buy a Volkswagen car for 10,000 dollars there. People will begin to visit Russia to buy bread and meat. It's not strange. The government makes them do it by signing such documents.

– Will the restrictions on the free movement of goods make people buy Belarusian goods?

– We do not have a customs border with Russia. The decisions of our Customs Committee resemble the virgin lands campaign organised by the Communist Party in the USSR. They wanted an increase in harvest, but storms often destroyed crops. I feel sorry for officials. They probably want to do something good for their families and children by making Belarusians buy domestic tyres. But if we speak about rational economic behaviour, leave ordinary Belarusians alone. Let them use European tyres! Let them buy as many computers and devices as they need! Officials just pretend to be working. The year 2015 must be the year of austerity for officials. Guys, take off tyres from your cars and ride bicycles! Take your computers that you use only for solitaires and give them to kindergartens! But I think the level of these computers won't be enough even for schools.