Ford remembers, or Welcome to Belarus

On no condition the world automobile industry will deal with a con man.

Belarusian people are known for cunning. It is a very interesting myth, if one thinks. In comparison with Moscow, Belarus is a pretty oasis, where human relations are not spoilt with money. A long-forgotten word “decency”, still exists in Minsk. Friendly relations suppose that you won’t be conned for 1,000 dollars (for a million – I am not sure, I haven’t check it). There are people who can speak about life, books, history, and music for hours, not jumping to the “price of a question”, Internet-resource AFN writes.

However, a myth of cunning still has a basis. This basis is Belarusian understanding of business-ethics. No, I’m wrong, not Belarusian, but Shklou (native region of Lukashenka).

Have you ever thought why the authorities, having torn the rest of hair in thoughts of producing a Belarusian car, are trying to find a way to Moscow through Magadan, in other words, are trying to create a miracle of the Belarusian automobile industry with the help of the countries, having doubtful experience in this sector? Irani Samands, Chinese What the Hell Is This, but not Renault, Volkswagen, or Volvo? Have you thought about it? They just need to recollect a little – how in 1995 Ford opened a plant in Apchak (where some attempts to produce Samands (cherished memory of them) are being made now).

Our the wisest man upset all agreements, after that Ford gave up Focus windscreens to spoil for local alkies, and chose to run away from Belarusian stability and observing terms of agreements.

Not good life has made us go on a Samand diet. The reason is simple: we might have forgotten about “adventures of Ford in Belarus”, but Ford and other self-respecting automobile concerns haven’t forgotten. On no condition will a self-respecting automobile giant deal with a person, who dusts eyes till he is blue in face, and remains a con man in the eyes of the world automobile industry.

There is a plenty of examples of business ethics of the Belarusians. Beginning from “honest” depriving of property, according to the results of a won tender, to transferring real estate to the Presidential Administration, reviewing of all contracts from enforcing social support facilities like ice arenas and hockey teams to banal taking away incomes for “presidential funds”. There are many examples and methods, the essence is the same.

The point is that why all our friends (leading foreign investors) are Arabs and Russians for an unknown reason. Everything is simple as ABC. Symbiosis with the regime is possible only for those who have honesty immunity. None of the people who believe in game rules and obey them will go there. Only those, who know how to knock at the cabinet door and believe that acquaintance with right people is guarantee of huge and easy money and absence of problems, have green light here. Only skilled in backstage games people are sure they know the Belarusian rules.

This is a mistake. There’re no rules. Here people grab everything they can reach. This is the only rule. Ford known it. Slavneft knows it. It is also known for holders of estate in the historic center, announced to be property of the administration one day. It is known for those who were silly enough to carry good through Belarus amid venturous customs confiscation game. Many people know it, and the number of fools, believing there are certain rules, is not endless.

Watching this Bacchanalia of scam, the Belarusian people have accepted for these years that we are the cleverest, we can everyone and another clutz will be endlessly replaced by a next one. Unfortunately, business ethics wasn’t invented just for fun. It is material and has money equivalent.

Belarus has spoiled a credit of its reputation. We have earned a dollar, but have lost a trust worthy of millions. Even fool Russians, who know for their own experience that chances of making agreements with the authorities are the same as winning jackpot, even the Russians have understood that the authorities differ from each other, and it’s better not to have anything in common with some of them.

Europe is trying to make itself believe in observing agreements terms by the Belarusian authorities. it could have been funny, if it hadn’t been so sad. Naive people will find much interesting in the mentality of the Belarusian elite. However, this cannot be changed – the things have come around in such a way. The Belarusian authorities will have to con many people, not just for the fun of it but due to necessity to pay accounts. That is why the floor will turn into an unattainable peak for many, a kind of Everest. If early there was a hurt reputation, there will be no reputation at all.

One would hope that a restored by a miracle layer, familiar with an idea of self-respect will be found in this sad story. An idea of decency, in the end. An idea that observing game rules is more successful and fruitful in perspective. Life doesn’t end with financial crisis or change of a president. Real life for the country is in future. It would be useful for ourselves to learn how to behave well in society. The remains of decency of the Belarusian people, not spoilt by the Belarusian authorities, give a hope that we can have a good deal of work in this sphere.