Minsk Driver About Fuel Protest: Authorities Have Gotten Too Fat

The Belarusians must make up their minds and do something together.

Activist of the European Belarus civil campaign and driver Aliaksandr Yahorau took part in the rally near the Belnautakhim office, which was held yesterday. He has explained why the protests against weekly fuel price hikes would increase, the press service of the European Belarus civil campaign reports.

- How do you feel about the "imperceptible" rise in fuel prices?

- Yes, it's not noticeable at once, but then, of course, you can feel it. You fill up, it would seem, on the previous money, and then these funds are no longer enough, respectively, the price rise fights back on your wallet.

As you know, you can't make any more money at work. Salaries are not growing as fast as fuel prices, they are not growing at all lately. So even if you go to work and home every day by car, at the end of the month it has a significant impact on income.

- Why did this happen? Who's to blame?

- It is the fault of the incompetent leadership of the country, which for years has not been able to solve basic problems with energy resources, despite the declared "friendship" with the country, which has more than enough of them.

The leadership, which regularly promises a salary increase, and in the end only removes bonuses.

In addition to the cost of fuel, the communal prices grow, and the prices of food in stores, it is not a secret. If before people used to buy snacks and drinks at the petrol station, now it is already a rare phenomenon. Everywhere you look, everything is pricey. The authorities are not doing their job. They can't limit the rise in fuel prices, they can't deal with salaries, they can't stabilize the economy, though they promise to do it all the time.

- How do you feel about the protests against rising gasoline prices?

- I'm very positive about it. But if there was any information, I think there would be a lot more people out there.

It seems to me that the authorities are not fully aware of the critical attitude towards the situation. It seems to them that everyone has to work day and night to get money for buying petrol. "Everybody has to work" - that's their motto, that's what they want. They have gotten too fat and do not understand that people should have not only work, but also free time, private life. People don't have to work day and night, it's not that time anymore. The authorities just don't realize how angry the people have become.

In general, it seems to me that if enough people come out for fuel protests, the authorities, of course, will promise the moon, but it will not be for long. They'll raise prices differently, with different schemes. Taxes, road toll, paid roads, something else will become more expensive, because they have a plan to maintain communications, do road works, etc.. And this plan requires a certain amount of money, which, in any case, will be taken away from the population. So we need to look beyond fuel protests.

Therefore, the only option for the Belarusians is to make up their minds and do something together. All of us. And it seems that the time is getting closer. Probably, the whole country will confirm my opinion that it can't go on like this any longer, it's the finish line already.