Jaraslau Ramanchuk: I don’t see a single Minister who would remain at his position (video)
– What is your ideal of a political leader?
– My ideal of a political leader is somewhere between Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. That’s strong will, determination, values, ability to take decisions in spite of the crowd’s opinion. They did the right things in complicated situations. Thus, we have good examples.
– What is your favourite book?
– Surely, my favourite book is “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand, but before I read it in 1993 I used to like another one – “Women in Love” by the English classic David Lawrence.
– Do you have a favourite song?
– The song of the last two years is “Pink Glasses” by Liapis Trubetskoy. I also like Liavon Volski’s “Hey, go forward!”, from the “White Album”. This is what concerns modern Belarusian music. As for classical music – and that’s hard rock for me- I would like to point out all AC/DC albums, as well as some Polish bands like Perfect, Bajm, Lombard. I enjoy listening to these songs.
– How many times bigger or smaller should a president’s salary be in comparison with a teacher’s or a doctor’s one?
– I think that a President’s salary should be 5 thousand dollars per month, dependless on teachers’ or doctors’ salaries. I think that doctors will earn much more in our country, as for teachers, they should earn at least 500 dollars in today’s conditions. These are the milestones we should hold on to. A President should be neither poor, nor a businessman.
– What is your attitude to sexual minorities?
– Neutral. They are a part of our life. If they live and don’t bug anyone – let it be so. European approach, tolerance should be implemented with regard to all the minorities.
– How much money do you have on you?
– 450 thousand roubles and about 200 dollars.
– How do you call your beloved woman at home?
– I call her “sweetheart”, “Alesya” or “honey”.
– Do you have any family traditions with Alesya, although you are not officially married yet?
– There is a tradition in my family, which started from my ancestors: we celebrate every Christmas and every Easter in my native village together. I entered the university in Minsk in 1983 but I always celebrated these two holidays at home, I never missed any. This is the tradition I would like to keep, and I think Alesya and I will keep it.
– Which polyclinic do you go to when necessary?
– I haven’t been at any health centers since 1983, I don’t even have medical record. They put me on the record when I broke my nose playing football at school, I did not even know about that. I don’t go to any medical establishments. Sports, healthy food, nervous stability help me to maintain strong immune system.
-Have you ever taken credit? If so, what for?
– I took a credit when I bought my apartment. However, it was a sort of a non-formal credit; I did not borrow money from the bank. I paid this money back in two years; in fact, it was one of the things which happen once in your lifetime. I never borrowed any money after that. There have been business debts when I was a businessman. I think it is important to live the life you can afford now, and to be very careful with taking credits
– Tell us a joke, the one which first came to your head.
– It’s not really a joke; it’s a sort of a proverb: “Even if someone ate you, you have two ways out”. This means, there are no critical life situations without any way out. If you look for the light in the end of the tunnel, you’ll find it.
– So, Jaraslau Ramanchuk has become a President. Will the current Ministers and governors keep their positions? What will happen to the BRYU and “Belaya Rus”?
– If the BRYU and “Belaya Rus” claim they are NGO’s, let them act like NGOs, not like pseudo-civil organizations financed by the state. Such concept as “state NGO” will no longer exist. I don’t see any Minister who would remain at his position. All of them will be discharged as they belong to a team with a totally different political and economic background. In my team, there are people who know the authority well; there will be the people who work in different state governmental agencies now. I cannot reveal their names due to obvious reasons, but these are good professionals, honest patriots, they want to be given an opportunity to work the way they know and deserve. There won’t be appointed governors or city Mayors after the political reform in Belarus.
– What will happen to the police?
– To my opinion, there should be a reform of force structures, but it should be conducted in coordination with the democratically elected Parliament. We can’t just fire 30% or 50% of policemen – we need to know what to do with them. We will create a work group, involve the EU experts, as well as experts from Georgia, and elaborate a law, which will be later ratified by the President: the Parliament should prepare and adopt this law, and the President should sign it.
– What can you suggest to slow down the inflation?
– The prices, naturally, should be liberalized. This is what 90% of countries have done already. They have prices much lower than in our country. There’s no better way to decrease prices than creating of favourable conditions for open competition. Each entrepreneur will then be able to ship imported goods, or produce them in the country, or to bring them from another region or district. Thus, there will be a pressure on manufacturers, on traders; they will have to compete, to make discounts.
– What shall we do with unprofitable enterprises – close them?
– I think we need privatization here. We can give some of these enterprises to their own employees, or local inhabitants, if it’s a small firm or plant. As for big unprofitable enterprises, they should be put through a tender with as many people as possible participating in it. Open information, open tender, transferring the money to the pension funds. This is the only way we can handle them.
– Will you keep your promise to create 1 million working places?
– Of course we will. That’s a program which has been carefully calculated – we have calculated how many working places can be created, for example, by entrepreneurs in our country. We will cancel all limitations with regard to employment of people by entrepreneurs, create the best business-climate in Europe, and let foreign investors organize enterprises here. And the most important thing is that Belarus should have access to the markets of Russia, Ukraine and the EU.
– What needs to be done with the alcohol problem? Shall we limit sales, increase prices, or what?
– We need to increase excise taxes for alcohol manufacturers and importers. It will be one of the sources for budget income increase. Alcoholic beverages will become less accessible then. We should not artificially support the state alcohol manufacturers – that’s absurd, when tax payers’ money goes to those who produce cheap wine of low quality. This is immoral, non-effective and such practice should be liquidated.
-Does Belarus need the assignment of graduates?
– No. This is the situation when a person pays twice. All Belarusians pay taxes, and these taxes go for providing of higher education. Thus, assignment is a form of slavery. We now have such a situation when 50% of young people want to leave our country for good, we cannot realize the practice which only increases the brain drain risk. Thus, say no to assignment, say yes to students’ self-administration and independence of higher educational establishments.
– When will young families be provided an opportunity to build their own apartments quickly?
– We’ll suggest building academic hostels for young families and workers, they will be able to privatize at first one room, and then another. Then they would mortgage these rooms and take credits for building real accommodation. That’s a start that every family or a young person of 18-19 years of age can make.
–Won’t we live even worse than now?
– It won’t be worse – it will be much better. Prices for state employees and pensioners will be lower. There can be a temporary price increase as the National Bank has printed much money. However, as soon as we realize all our programs it will be possible to buy much more goods and services for the pensions that our pensioners receive now.
– What will you do to increase salaries?
– Salaries will be bigger when people who create working places do it faster, pay fewer taxes and sell their goods not only at the Belarusian market, but also in the neighbouring countries, work with new equipment. We can make this real. Thus, I think that an average salary in Belarus will be 600-650 dollars- and that will be real money- in 5 years.
– Will you involve your wives in big politics and in which way?
– I don’t like it when relatives work at the state positions connected with the president in any way. For example, my wife, my friends or my mother cannot be Vice-Presidents, or Ministers, as this is the basis for corruption. My Alesya is a very talented lady. She can realize her talents in business, teaching or analytical work. I think if I tried to put her in some state structure, it would break both my principles and her plans.
