Leanid Zaika: Time To Expect Revolution

• 14.02.2017, 18:01

The Belarusians are saving on bare essentials.

The real incomes of the population decreased by 7% last year, and the purchasing power - by 10%. This means that the majority of people are still waiting for the worst of times. Head of the analytical center "Strategy" Leanid Zaika has told this today to Radio Liberty.

“We have compared just how much the Belarusians living in small towns bought last year and the year before last. The result – the retail sales in 2016 dropped by 10%. Herein, the situation is the same in all the regions – from Brest to Vitsebsk.

The real incomes of the population decreased by 7% last year. The purchases decreased by 10%. This means, part of the people keep waiting for even worse times. Apparently, most feel it intuitively. I will call specific numbers. In 2014, the gross domestic product of Belarus amounted to $ 76 billion. In 2016 - only $ 47 billion. When you look at these figures, the drop in purchases by 10% doesn’t seem the worst thing to happen anymore. It could be worse".

What shall we expect this year?

By reference to the historical parallels, we shall expect revolution. No $ 500 wages will be achieved in 2017. It’s impossible to increase wages by 25% in a year. Impossible.

The authorities plan to get away with it somehow, right?

There is only one option how to solve the problem in one day. Today 1 US dollar is purchased for Bn 2, approximately. It’s possible to collapse it down to Bn 1,5, to declare straightaway: the average salary of $ 500 has been reached, and to return the value of the dollar to Bn 2 the following day.