Lukashenka: Guilt for devaluation lies on you

The dictator rebuked Belarusians for buying foreign currency and shopping abroad.

Lukashenka made this statement during a visit to BelAZ plant in Zhodzina, his press service reports.

“You are crying prices are very high. I begin to press for lower prices. So, we keep prices low, but salaries are overinflated. But what worries me most of all? What do you do with your extra money? You rush to currency exchange offices to buy foreign currency and then ask if we will have devaluation.

If we have devaluation, it is you who do it,” Lukashenka said to workers.

”The president says so, but we go abroad to buy foreign clothes, because ours have worse quality. It's not the point. Border guards say some people cross the border 700 times [a year].

What are they doing there? They buy the foreign currency that we earn, take it from the country and bring clothes. Yes, the EU offers them on lower prices and foists this rubbish on you for $3 billion,” Lukashenka said.

The ruler again mentioned the global crisis and promised that Belarus would look good after the crisis was tackled.

“We didn't stop in difficult times. We rely on the real sector of economy rather than on oil and gas. We will look good after the crisis is over,” he said.