‘Rusty Pipe’ Strikes A Blow At Lukashenka

Do Belarusian officials fulfill the dictator's covenant?

This opinion was expressed by Adrius Development Director Ivan Rak, commenting on the unexpected statement of the Russian Ministry of Finance, Solidarity reports.

Last week they noted that Belarus’s claims to compensate for losses from the “tax maneuver” in the Russian oil sector limit Russia's sovereign right to conduct domestic policy.

Ivan Rak noted the following in response to this:

- And why be surprised if the head of state for decades says: this is “our Russia”, this is our resources, everything is ours. The power vertical simply follows his commands.

Moreover, the Adrius Development Director believes that more than ten years ago, the head of Belarus made a mistake by selling Beltransgaz to the Russians, which could have helped in the negotiations today:

- Remember, Lukashenka said: who needs this rusty pipe. Now we are seeing the echo of the sale of that rusty pipe.

Ivan Rak believes that the Belarusian economy will face difficult times - and not only because of the reduction in Russian subsidies. He said that in Germany non-payments between business entities began, and in Lithuania “quite serious enterprises” are going through bankruptcy.

- In these countries there are serious concerns about the beginning of the economic crisis in 2020. Accordingly, our unreformed economy cannot but be exposed to risks. I think that economic difficulties will begin somewhere in February next year - and they will begin in the form of a depreciation of the Belarusian ruble,” says Ivan Rak.