What a Debt!

Persistent attempts of the authorities to dip into the future are the most ridiculous.

The same is applicable to attempts to predict their coordinates. After all, it's curious to see Belarus of the year 2040. No one doubts that they will come together again guided by the same ruler. Otherwise, they would have waved goodbye their fat feasts.

All Soviet leaders used to be addicted to predictions. With a helping hand from English science-fiction writer, Lenin even got the status of the honorable Kremlin dreamer. It's better not to recall any Stalin's dreams. Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and comrade Chernenko dreamed of Siberian rivers flowing southwards by the order of the Party and, for some reason, blue cities.

Everything came to an end and was forgottent, but not for long. The tradition has revived as soon as a person from the Horodets collective farm has come to power. However, this ambitious promotee has had strange dreams: to unite all the Slavs, to wear soiled the hat of Kremlin, to create a social state in the controlled territory, and to substitute the hateful communism with a new cherished aim of "$500-salary".

And only the last dream of a modest average salary equaled to an unemployment benefit in western neighboring countries is still familiar to everybody.

Well-known Shura Balaganov with his exotic idea of cloud nine and the number of rubles needed for it has nothing to do with it. The Soviet leaders have their own pride. The sum voiced, for some reason, in currency was later substituted with "miserable thousand" of Belarusian rubles. And a specific date was set.

Failure to comply with the schedule was strictly punished. Time was passing by. The cherished dream was getting closer or, on the contrary, was looming somewhere far away. And even patient and always satisfied electorate has burst with murmur about the promised thousand rubles...

What a weird question! The word "embezzlement" Soviet officials feared like the plague, was not used anymore. It was not a disaster if new masters of the universe squandered budget money or was caught stealing. They can share, shake it off, be released on parole, and take up a post.

Is there any problem? The one thing unattainable is this "miserable thousand", because it's for the people. And who will dare to offend the inner circle and obedient friends and associates?

They were so glad to watch photos of the ruler made in the National Bank. Viewers were excited. He sits on gold - what money the country has! If it is shared, the sum of happiness alleged leaves them weak at the knees. The sketch was extremely optimistic. Anyway, the most popular phrase of redundantly caring power "Please, wait for an answer!" took on a deep meaning.

However, a hopeless crisis has been set instead of common welfare. It has brought its simple joys - draconian taxes, high level of unemployment and soaring prices. It has immediately boosted an endless series of funny tricks with currency exchange rates and denomination of the ruble. Salaries and pensions dropped down. Utility bills rose high. All mentioned above promoted a simple question to be voiced: where's the money?

It has been recently shown a large quantity of foreign and domestic currency in the National Bank. And even gold, true leaders usually sit on. Where is it?

By the way, it's weird to hear people asking such rude question. They ignore luxurious ice palaces built both near Drazdy and in the native Alexandriya, to say nothing of other places acriss the country. What else did you expect? We are the country of Great Hockey. Pensioners meet here in the fight for the Household Cup. What great holidays the authorities organize! What money do you mean then?

However, it's not as bad as constantly resented electorate may see. Every power, especially outstaying one, has permanent thoughts of future. It even predicts it. The other day the public debt was assessed. It was divided up to 2040. But it's better to avoid it, it sounds too high. Let's better deal with figures regarding forthcoming payments on debts upon 2025. They are extremely optimistic.

This year $3.6 billion should be paid out to creditors. And $23.4 billion are subject to payment up to 2025. What a debt! I can't guess what will be the source for this sum. In this case, you'd better follow utility bills and the content of your purse.

Once the ruler voiced a deep thought about these debts: "The main challenge for the government and the National Bank to overcome is the debt burden. No debts of Belarus should be left for future generations."

It would be better to see it without those living beyond means and drowning in huge debts either. There is another option to take care of future generations: not to waste time and defend other elections. And to help this unique cohort which wasted the national heritage of the country to look at the results of its heavy activity from the outside.

Otherwise, this restless company will promise people this "damn thousand" for other twenty five years. This is all they have. These are the same Bolsheviks.

Only "with a quality seal".

Uladzimir Khalip, specially for Charter97.org