How Many Investors To Be Imprisoned In Belarus?

Do not deceive yourselves and think that Belarus has the dawn of intelligence.

A series of scandalous lawsuits against former investors shakes the ground in Belarus. The General Procurator’s Office has initiated a criminal case against managers of Ukrainian Motor Sich, which owns 60% of shares of Orsha aircraft plant. Criminal proceedings continue against ex-owners of Motovelo - Aliaksandr Muraueu, who represented the group of Austrian companies. The list of criminal cases against investors and businessmen can be endless. Some businessmen leave prisons after paying huge "protection money", others immediately take their place.

The similar situation is in the "digital economy". On the one hand, there are statements that Belarus implements a revolutionary project, which has no analogues in the world and it should attract investments to the country. meanwhile, the authorities turn Belarus into the Internet Gulag blocking "Charter-97" and preparing draconian amendments to the law on mass media. Is this a cognitive dissonance?

Charter97.org told with economists Leanid Zaika and Leu Marholin about contradictions tearing the Belarusian authorities off.

Bodily movement instead of mental process

Leanid Zaika offers to seek the essence of investment problems in the Belarusian political model:

"Here we observe the seizure of power amid disseminated sclerosis. Considering mechanisms, ochlocratic ideals seize the power.

A representative of law enforcement bodies comes to Lukashenka and reports that a businessman is a criminal, a rogue and a traitor to the state. Another representative offers him to create the intellectual economy, the third asks money for new workers on Kamvol, the fourth says that good relations with the West are needed, the fifth says that they do not need it. There is neither a strategy not principles.

Lobbyists change every day. There is a collision of interests. Unfortunately, the Belarusian government has too many bodily movements, not mental processes. Hence, we suffer all problems with investments," the expert says.

Investments Differ

Economist Leu Marholin offers to consider in detail what is called "investments" in our country:

"By investments we often mean loans for loss-making enterprises. There is no hope that these financial investments will be efective. We have a good example of woodworking and dairy industries.

Now Belstat does not consider bank loans as investments, but there is indirect lending. ", the expert says.

"Oil now! Investors go in prison!"

Leanid Zaika believes that the government itself is not interested in attracting investors to the country, and the nomenclature feels good with oil curse:

"No investors and businessmen are needed. The authorities have oil refineries. This year oil refining has earned more than 25% of exports. There is cheap Russian oil. And these people in power do not care about other things. Oil. Oil now! It means new suits for officials, new houses, yachts, cars for the nomenclature".

The head of the Strategy Analytical Centre believes that scandalous cases against investors and businessmen perfectly fit into the model of the Belarusian state:

"I think that the slogan "Investors in prison!" is a good one. Take advantage of it and relax," the economist suggests.

Adventurers pursue easy money.

Leu Marholin notes that imprisonment of businessmen makes the bad image of Belarus for the rest of the world:

"No investor respecting himself will go to our country. Only those who look for easy money turn to Belarus. For example, a shopping mall is built and immediately sold.

Belarus has become a standing point for adventurers who seek personal agreements with Lukashenka. Those who come to our country hope for easy money.

Normal investors focused on the long-term perspective require safety, independent court, laws adopted by the Parliament (legally elected Parliament)".

The expert assures that unless it happens, no investments are possible in the Belarusian economy.

"Guys with fiery eyes, you'd better souse head and ears in the Minsk sea"

Leanid Zaika draws attention to the fact that leaders of the country are not interested in making money, if only they have their share of it.

"When it is said that Viktar Lukashenka has accidentally got in the list of the council on promotion of the digital economy, I say that it is false. IT-specialists are blended into the council, but Viktar Lukashenka is there by right of the eldest son. Sons mean much better in our country than IT-specialists.

The economist does not share the optimism associated with the digital economy:

"Do not deceive yourselves and think that Belarus has the dawn of intelligence. Don't be naive, guys. Why do we need an intellectual economy?

Those who dream of the digital economy, you'd better souse head and ears in the Minsk sea, unless it turns green. You are deceived.

The nomenclature relaxes after "initializing" information about investments and the digital economy.

I notice that this year there are a lot of expensive boats, a new yacht club, expensive cars on the Minsk sea. Such people do not need investments," the interlocutor of Charter97.org summed up.