Cold, Hard Cash Does the Trick

There is nothing better for privatization than a little cash

It seems that the threats from the managers of the Russian gas giant Gazprom exerted considerable influence on Belarussian officials. Now, Belarus might have another opinion regarding integration with Russia. Such integration will give the Russian government and Russian companies a certain additional control over the economy of the fraternal country. Integration is also likely to bring real money to Belarus, a lot of real money, to be more precise. What can be better than cold, hard cash, especially for integration?

A draft law arrived at the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, which offered to lift the restrictions on the joint stock company Beltransgas. Deputy chairman of Gazprom administration Alexander Ryazanov pointed that providing private shareholders for this Belarussian gas monopoly was a fundamental condition for future agreements between Russia and Belarus in the field of gas.

The head of the Belarussian parliamentary committee for housing policy, construction, trade, and privatization, Vasily Khrol, said that the government of Belarus suggested that deputies change the law “About State Property Objects.” Particularly, it was suggested to lift the restrictions on the privatization of the gas industry, inlucing. gas-distributing stations and gas depositories.

Thus, the Russian gas giant Gazprom will be able to create private shareholders for the Belarussian gas monopoly Beltransgas. The budget of Belarus (and certain personas, probably) will have additional money. This will make the integration of Russia and Belarus go more smoothly. Then, everything will go according to plan.

Kira Poznakhirko PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov

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Read the original in Russian: http://economics.pravda.ru/economics/2002/7/21/64/3010_Beltransgaz.html