Parliamentarians start re-election campaign

Statement of Speaker of the Belarusian Parliament Andreychenko implies support to the Presidential Administration during the autumn Parliamentary election campaign. Given that the Belarusian Parliament has no real levers of influence on the economic policy, the statement of the Speaker has only a propaganda implication.

On 26 January while visiting the JSC Poultry Factory “Friendship”, Speaker of the Belarusian Parliament Vladimir Andreychenko said that by the end of the year incomes of Belarusians should reach the end of 2010 level.

There could be only one reason for making such populist statements, i.e. to indicate support to the Presidential Administration during the election campaign, which could guarantee the re-election to the new Parliament. Against the backdrop of the continuing crisis in the world and in Belarus, a 4-year parliamentary mandate becomes a very attractive employment contract. Within the political system of Belarus, status of an MP is associated with minimum liability and the Parliament per se has become a place where Belarusian nomenclature representatives finish their careers.

It is highly probable that Andreychenko’s colleagues in the Parliament will support the Speaker’s populist programme. The more so, some governors have already expressed their wish to take part in such “salary conspiracy”. On January 27, the governor of Mogilev region Mr. Rudnick said that by December 2012 the average wage in the region was expected to increase by 64% as compared with December 2011. Previously, similar plans to ensure an average wage of USD 500 by the end of 2012 have been voiced by Vitebsk region governor Alexander Kosinets.