Minsk resident: Economic situation will stifle any regime

Journalists talked to Minsk residents near currency exchange offices.

An elderly man near a Belagroprombank exchange office at Gippo supermarket said to Radio Svaboda that the exchange rate would grow further.

“Exchange rates are only growing, and this trend seems to continue. I personally have no hopes that foreign currencies will stop growing and return to the previous level. We have close relations with Russia. Russia has serious economic problems, and we are doomed to have them, too. There's nothing better than market economy and private property. The so called social economy that we have is a road to nowhere. Nothing will change unless this social economy change,” the man said.

– How can it happen?

– Honest elections must be carried out with transparent ballot boxes, honest and controlled vote counting procedure. I do not trust the elections we have today. They are absolutely dishonest.

– Do you think it can happen at all?

– It is possible. The Belarusians are patient people, but the economy cannot be controlled by the police. The economic situation will stifle any regime and make it change.

Foreign currency exchange offices sell the dollar for 17,050 rubles and the euro for 19,000 rubles.