Lukashenko released prices

Lukashenko released prices. In Belarus, the main social goods sharply went up - vodka, bread and milk. The people reacted in a predictable way, having arranged a stir, a couple of fights and crust in stores a day before the rise in price

The authorities announced the increase in prices just two days before the decision to enter into force. Vodka immediately rose by 52% - now the minimum retail price permitted by the state is approximately 120 Russian rubles. In fact, it is now difficult to find vodka in Belarusian stores, even low -quality, cheaper 240 rubles. Import strong alcohol costs at least twice as expensive. Milk and bread on the same day, October 27, have risen in price by 35%. Now a liter package of cheap milk costs at least 30 rubles in the country, sour cream - 40, yogurt - 45–50. Consumers will still be able to find a kilogram of bread in large supermarkets for about 30–40 rubles, and in the villages and provincial cities its price will probably be around 50 rubles. We are talking about those social goods that political scientists, as they say, greatly affect the mood of the electorate and the prices of which local authorities restrained by all means for two years in a row.

The state has seriously limited the harmful resource to manufacturers in matters of food for food from the middle of last year. Then the Belarusian “bunny” in a couple of months lost two -thirds of its value, and so that the price is not three times with the dollar synchronously with the dollar, the government includes the administrative resource at full capacity. The result of such a policy of holding back the popular anger turned out to be predictable. State plants began to endure serious losses, selling products to themselves minus, non -state began to abandon the production of cheap products. So, over a year, milk and kefir up to 3.5%, sour cream with fat content of up to 25%, with fat content of up to 9%without taste additives and fillers, simply disappeared from Belarusian stores. The state did not regulate the prices of premium products, and their release was continued.

The situation with vodka was similar: despite the fact that formally the minimum price for it was about 80 Russian rubles, in fact, there was nothing cheaper than 120-130 rubles on store shelves. And food manufacturers every now and then complained to the ministers and the president that, to please the populist measures of the government, they have to count losses for a month after a month.

Beloruses were bought boxes on the eve of raising prices, they staged a real excitement and crush in stores. Vodka and dairy products were bought by boxes. “The daughter has a wedding in three weeks, so you have to take expensive vodka for the future,” a 40-year-old man in one of the Minsk stores made excuses in line in line. He put five boxes of vodka to the tape in front of the seller at once. Following him stood those who took one or two box for themselves. "How can I not drink from such a life?" -26-year-old metropolitan bank clerk Alexei shrugged.

In one of the stores, visitors staged a fight. Vodka was not enough for everyone. When the counter was eight of the last bottles and a middle -aged man decided to pick up everything, arguing that he “first approached”, a guy of 22–25 years old immediately sent him with a mat and tried to grab one bottle. For which I immediately got a fist in the stomach. The fight had to separate the friends of scandalists and store employees.

“In the future, Lukashenko inevitably awaits the fall of trust ratings,” said Leonid Zaiko, head of the Strategy analytical center. According to him, the notorious Belarusian stability was built just largely on cheap social goods, which caused the illusion of social security. At the same time, all year the prices for the main food in Belarus are growing much faster than income. According to Belstat, the average nominal accrued salary in Belarus in September 2012 amounted to approximately 13,500 rubles. Since the beginning of the year, it has grown by 15%, and prices - at least 40%. Belarusians are poor and disappointed in power. “If in winter there is nothing to feed children, we will go to the rally with friends and colleagues, despite the cold,” the 49-year-old chief accountant of the state enterprise Oleg threatens. “The authorities must stop mocking us!”