Expert: Country Is Ahead Of National Bankruptcy, And Lukashenka Is In Second Childhood

The dictator is lacking in common sense.

Experts in energy issues are discussing possible consequences of Russia’s tax maneuver for Belarus, and talking about the "black" script for the Belarusian oil industry. Economists are debating the possibility of a default, as there is only a quarter of money in the budget for paying off the debts. Political scientists argue about the outcome of the oil and gas war with Russia, political analyst Valer Karbalevich writes in the column on Radio Svaboda.

Meantime, a "major national event" is coming round in the country. Those who missed the point should watch BT. It will explain that the attention of all the progressive mankind is focused on the Christmas ice hockey tournament for the prize of Lukashenka. This, as they say, is "the unofficial world championship among amateur players." This year it takes place for the 13th time.

"The current tournament is the largest in terms of the number of participating countries. We welcome players from 15 countries," – Lukashenka said in his welcoming speech before the competition. It follows from the state media reports that the Belarusians simply could not wait for this tournament, and now they are filling to capacity the Chyzhouka Arena bleachers.

The organizers had to find the money for this spectacle in the midst of the reduction of budget expenditures. Principals and teachers of schools are silently cursing those, who made them busy with mobilizing schoolchildren during the holidays in such wintriness. State media journalists have to demonstrate their ostentatious delight and admiration of the event.

Why are they doing this? Here we have an experiment, rare for the Belarusian socio-political life. It’s rare due to its purity. I mean – here there are no other political, ideological or publicity impurities. All the efforts of state institutions are made solely for the sake of fun and enjoyment of one person.

In order to please the children for the New Year, people invented a tale about Santa Claus. And here we see an adult, playing a New Year or Christmas fairy-tale game. The common sense disappears completely at such moments. A regress to childhood is taking place.

It looks that he simply does not understand the whole farcicality of this situation. This is what Lukashenka said on right earnest in his speech before the competition: "We are looking forward to exciting and striking battles on the ice arenas. Teams, ready to fight hard for the top prize and to show the audience a high class of the game, will meet head to head once again."

Meanwhile, the result of the tournament (like the result of the presidential "elections") is well known to every Belarusian. Only in 2015 there was an exceptional case. Then the invited to the event Gazprom team pretended not to understand the rules of the Belarusian hockey and beat "Lukashenka’s team." It has not been invited again. Now Russia is represented by a team from Ufa. It lost to Slovakia's team with a score of 0:12 in the first match, which signals of its strength. I think "Lukashenka’s team" will revenge to Russia for all the wrongs in the oil war.

In general, the participants of the tournament were selected to ensure the desired result. There are no teams from the major hockey countries: Canada, the USA, the Czech Republic, Sweden. But there’s an exotic team from the United Arab Emirates and the national team of the Balkans! The latter lost "Lukashenka’s team" with a score of 14: 7 on Thursday, and he himself appeared to be a "top scorer", with 8 points in the system "goal plus pass (5 + 3)." I remind that five active players of professional teams play for the Belarusian team.

You can see what efforts are being made to satisfy someone's self-esteem. Diplomacy, strategy, tactics, and the state media are involved here. All for the front, everything for the victory. Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen. In the words of a classic, of all the arts the most important for us is hockey.