"Lukashenko Has Lost Transit For A Long Time"

31.10.2025, 09:20 charter97.org

"Lukashenko Has Lost Transit For A Long Time"331.10.2025, 9:46 3,630 There is a paradoxical situation at BelZhD.At a recent meeting with the Council of Ministers, Lukashenko discussed the situation at BelZhD. They reported to him about "high costs of servicing loans for infrastructure projects and the purchase of new rolling stock" and asked for state support, i.e. money.As a result, the officials' heads were subjected to the wrath of their superiors. Lukashenko warned them to "stop going after money" and "tighten their belts" if they can't make money. "If you start 'dying' - then come back, we'll think what to do with you," the ruler said.The representative of the Community of Railwaymen of Belarus Sergei Voytekhovich believes that one should not take seriously the words that were heard at this meeting. In a conversation with "Salidarnasts" he noted that the real state of affairs at BelZhD will not be publicly discussed by the authorities, as it is quite critical:- Today, the most important economic problem is the lack of foreign currency earnings because of the drastic reduction in transit. After the closure of the Polish border, and despite the fact that several railway checkpoints have reopened, China, for example, is reorienting some of its transit routes, because there is no stable situation. Plus sanctions prohibiting the export of products.The volume of transit on some routes has decreased three times. For example, exports of oil products in 2024 amounted to 4 million tons, although in 2020 it was 12 million tons, which went to Ukraine, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Germany.The only thing is that we managed to restore the transportation of potash fertilizers in almost the same volume, i.e. pre-sanctions, but it does not solve the problem of BelZhD. Unfortunately, we have lost transit for a long time.Today there is a paradoxical situation in the personnel sphere. On the one hand, there are cuts in managerial staff, in particular, middle managers, and on the other hand, there is a catastrophic shortage of people for working specialties: working conditions are poor, salaries are low.Young specialists do not stay long either - they work out their mandatory term on distribution and leave. Therefore, the authorities are constantly talking about the same Pakistanis and other migrant workers who are going to be brought to Belarus.But what conditions they can offer them is the question. If there is no money for their own citizens, where will it come from for foreigners?Because of the sanctions, there are also big problems with the maintenance of rolling stock, in particular, Stadler cars (they were produced at the plant "Stadler Minsk" in Fanipol, founded in 2014, but since 2022 production there has ceased due to sanctions - C.).).On city lines they are completely out of service, soon it will be necessary to do so on interregional and intercity lines, because there will be critical wear and tear, and this is already a safety problem. After all, the maintenance and servicing of trains requires spare parts and consumables that are not produced either in Belarus or in any other "friendly" country.At the same time, there is a shortage of spare parts not only for new locomotives, but even for those that have been in operation at BelZhD for more than four decades.Of course, Russia can help to renew the rolling stock, but its products are much more expensive than European ones, and there is no money to pay for them. Therefore, when Lukashenko urges railroaders to "tighten their belts" and promises to think about what to do when they "start dying," it sounds, to put it mildly, belated.All these processes are already underway, and it will only get worse.PATREONSupport the website Write your comment 3 You can support the website Charter97.orgMULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, WarszawaIBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123SWIFT: BIGBPLPWName of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aimsYou can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.comFollow Charter97.org social media accountsFacebookYouTubeX.comvkontakteok.ruInstagramRSSTelegram