What "Surprises" Are Waiting on the Belarusians Next Year?

The Belarusians dream that one day Lukashenka disappears.

A bit more than a month left before the New Year. But it happened that this day in Belarus is associated not only with festive fuss, pleasant expectations and New Year's gifts. Belarusians often woke up on January 1 with new prices, a new ruble exchange rate and new taxes.

Here and this time, officials of the housing and communal services said that since January 1 prices for utility services would increase. The ultimate goal of the authorities is the transition to 100% payment of utility tariffs.

An interesting situation is observed in the foreign exchange market. Dollar and euro exchange rates hit all-time high. Some economists say that there are devaluation expectations in the country .

What should we expect in the coming year? Should we wait on new surprises on the part of authorities in 2018? Entrepreneur and public activist from Baranavichy Mikalai Charnavus told Charter97.org about it:

- Everyone knows what Lukashenka is going to "invent" near the New Year tree. He'll say that it will be a turning point, and we should tighten our belts to have a good life. But his time has passed and no one believes his fairy tales anymore. People have already learned his habits.

They know for sure that there will be no improvement with Lukashenka. He is the stone on the path of changes. And if he promises anything, there will be troubles.

And people do not have any festive mood. They put their noses out of joint; they will buy or steal a Christmas tree, make a salad - that's the whole thing. And prices continue to rise.

Again, Lukashenka repeats the mantra about the fact that "just try to raise prices, you'll be punished then." But nothing works. There are two options here: either no one listens to him, or it's just a signal to raise prices.

- We surely know that tariff rates for housing and communal services will increase since the New Year. A new decree on "spongers" is being prepared, details are not revealed. What other "surprises" are waiting on Belarusians from "innovators" in offices?

- We expect no good. Something positive and our officials are incompatible concepts. There is not a single sphere with positive presumptions.

Individual entrepreneurs suffer only losses. Entrepreneurs close their business. Prices are driven up; when you go shopping, you wonder first whether you're hungry or not. You know, many of my friends eat food they have grown in their kitchen gardens.

I do not want to talk about rent bills. We are told about the fact that Europe has the same prices for utility tariffs. Well, but where is my European salary?! People have to choose: either go to the store, or pay for rent bills. It does not look like Europe at all.

- This October prices for consumer goods hit all-time high. What can the Belarusians afford themselves on a festive table?

- The situation reminds of the one before September 1: they bought all essentials for children for school and bite the dust for two months. A similar situation is waiting on us on the eve of the New Year, everyone wants somehow to celebrate the event. To gather around a holiday table and then to eat only bread and milk until March.

Everybody likes this holiday, because it appeared not under Lukashenka. This is an attempt to somehow distract from reality, from all the problems that we have accumulated. No matter how he tries to spoil the New Year, but this day is ours, it's a warm holiday. Everyone will sit in the family circle, congratulate each other, hoping that changes to come.

Of course, I would like the Belarusians make a New Year's wish to make Lukashenka disappear. It doesn't matter who takes his place - Petrov, Sidorov, Ivanov - any person will be better than him. But everything changes as soon as we strictly declare "It's enough!" and begin to act.