How Russian journalists were bribed in Belarus

Representatives of the Russian media were offered a super all inclusive trip to Belarus.

Moscow is famous for demonstrating luxury in receiving guests. However, the Belarusian journalists invited to a meeting with head of Russian President’s Administration Sergey Naryshkin met modest and polite reception. There were no attempts to bribe the wordsmiths in the Kremlin, nobody offered to pay them for travel expenses or a hotel, nobody gave costly gifts. That’s the way how officials and journalists should build their relations, “Salidarnasts” writes.

The Belarusian authorities have a different opinion on this matter. Correspondent of “Lipetskaya Gazeta” Sofya Voblikova told “Belgazeta” newspaper how 100 journalists invited to a press conference with Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk had been received. Here are some quotes:

“The reception of the Russian press was organized on the highest level… It was not only compensation for travel expenses, but also providing accommodation and meals.”

“It was possible to spend nothing at all. When I was planning this trip to Belarus, I asked my colleagues who had been on a similar press tour before how much money I needed. They said I did not need to take any money. They arrived in Belarus and exchange their Russian rubles for Belarusian currency, but they had to exchange Belarusian rubles back to Russian before departure. We didn’t pay for anything in Belarus, either for the trip, or for accommodation…”

“We stayed in Planeta hotel. There were some doubts about accommodation on our way to Belarus. But everyone was alone in a room. Not all the rooms were single. For example, I had a twin room but I was alone there. The hotel was good, with all conveniences…”

“Of course, we were given presentation albums and booklets on enterprises. The confectionery presented sweets to us. We were handed in photobooks after a meeting with the mayor of Minsk. After a meeting with Lukashenka we got a package of gifts, including gift-wrapped vodka. We were also given a doll, some other gifts… As a result, my suitcase was very heavy, but I couldn’t afford throw something away…”

Voblikova also told she had been warned by her colleagues the press tour to Belarus may have a negative impact on her figure. They were right ¬– tables were groaned with foods, from Belarusian traditional potato pancakes to caviar.

In general, representatives of the Russian mass media had a Super All Inclusive trip to Belarus. What can one say about this? Admiring the hospitality of the Belarusian authorities, Voblikova admits: “Of course, this approach bought us…”

That’s right, journalists from a neighbouring country were bought and bribed. They were invited to Belarus, offered best meals, taken to excursions to the country’s best enterprises. After that, the head of state gave a long press conference to them. Then the vast majority of the press tour participants return to their homes and write articles full of admiration of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. One thing remains unclear – why is it the Belarusian tax payers who pay for this entertainment?