Lukashenka Shed ‘Crocodile Tears’

Has the dictator developed a split personality?

The ruler of Belarus continues to gush with ideas. This time, he decided to arrange a cartel agreement on the potash fertilizer market.

“I don't remember such prices in history: very low prices for potash fertilizers,” complained Aliaksandr Lukashenka, appointing the new CEO of Belaruskali. “Maybe we should talk to the Russians, consult and reduce the production of potash fertilizers by 10 percent, maybe 11 percent. Not only will there be a deficit on the market, but everyone will understand that this is an expensive product and you have to pay the appropriate amount for it…

Why sell this product for next to nothing, almost at cost, or even lower at times? Consult, then report back, and we will make an appropriate decision. But I am inclined to think that we need to reduce production by 10 percent (maybe more).”

But Lukashenka contradicts himself. Just recently, in July, in an interview with the Kazinform agency, he stated:

“Restrictions on the transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers — and they make up about 20% of their global production — provoked a serious increase in their prices.”

So are the prices high or low? And if they were high and suddenly became low, then why? The sanctions have not gone away.

This situation clearly demonstrates how much you can trust Lukashenka's words. His public statements are based on opportunistic considerations, and not on the real state of affairs.

In the same interview with Kazinform, the ruler shed “crocodile tears”, showing “tender concern” for the starving:

“As a result [of the sanctions], many countries were forced to stop using [Belarusian potash fertilizers], dramatically worsening the quality and reducing the volume of the harvest.

According to the UN, in 2023, every fifth person on the planet in 59 countries faced acute food shortages, more than 280 million people around the world are starving, more than 36 million children under 5 years of age in 32 countries are severely malnourished. The overall rate of the starving population has increased from 10 to 20 percent in 7 years.” Now Lukashenka himself proposes to cut supplies. And he does not care at all how this will affect vulnerable groups.

Lukashenka = hypocrisy.

Vasil Veras, «Салідарнасць»

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