The Customs Union Through the Eyes of “Khabar”
Kazakhstan, Politics and SocietyNo Comment
Translation of mursya’s post (RUS)
ulan writes:
Last week, I watched a segment on “Khabar” (Translator’s note: Kazakh television program) about the customs union.
Kazakhstan’s “businessmen” were actively licking boots and marveling at the idea. A manager at a factory where they make Nivas and Skodas anticipated the windfall growth in his sales: “Our market will grow to 170 million people!” Other “businessmen” had similar things to say.
Gentlemen, who in Russia needs your/our Nivas and Skodas? They’re busy cursing their own VAZ for getting helped by the government. Do you expect them to turn to the Kazkh automotive industry? Russia is producing the latest Toyotas and Nissans. The Belarusians are modest, they don’t need our cars. Plus, their taxis use an official meter and print official receipts, like it should be.
The Russians don’t seem to benefit much from the union either. There are lines of trucks full of alcohol waiting at the border now, because they need certificates (a norm that migrated from our Customs Office to the customs union), which won’t be ready until the summer, since they had nothing prepared ahead of time.
Who needed this hastily put together organization and why?
An objective opinion:
“The losses that Kazakhstan will incur from this union will be hundreds of times greater than the gains,” says Talgat Akurov, president of the Independent Association of Entrepreneurs.
As for “Khabar”… One of my friends on Skype had this for his status: “I want to live in the Kazakhstan they show on Khabar.”
UPD. On Russia’s problems with the customs union.
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