Yauhen Afnahel: Get Your "Stash" Out!

Lives are more important than money.

Belarusians, well taught by Chernobyl, know that one can't believe the authorities and are gradually introducing themselves the quarantine because of the coronavirus. In this regard, many people ask how it will affect people's income, the country's economy. Let's see what steps other states are taking, coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign Yauhen Afnahel writes.

The British government will compensate 80% of wages (up to 2,500 pounds per month) to employees of private companies, who've been deprived of the opportunity to work because of restrictions.

The White House is working on sending $1,000 checks to adult Americans and $500 checks to children within three weeks to compensate for the losses of the population.

The Polish government will allocate 212 billion PLN ($50 billion) to fight the coronavirus and its economic consequences. This amount, by the way, is equivalent to four annual budgets of Belarus.

Lives are more important than money.

This is the way the governments of decent countries do it. This is how responsible politicians, who care about their people, behave. This is the answer to all those who today, hiding behind reasoning about losses, suggest spitting out the coronavirus pandemic and the life of Belarusians.

All countries save money for emergencies. Special funds are created, appropriate budget expenditure items are provided for. They exist in Belarus, right?

If so, now it's just the case when they could be spent to ensure the establishment of quarantine and minimization of discomfort for people.

If it is not so - then we know exactly where to get the money.

Lukashenka, get out your "stash" that you've been saving up hard all these years. Buy masks, lung ventilators, medicine. Get the centers ready for the infected immediately. If you don't manage to do that in time, clear the hospital blocks. Not separate floors, like in Barauliany and in Krapotkin Street, but entire buildings. It doesn't work any other way. Provide medics with everything they need and give them a proper salary for working 12 hours a day without protective equipment and with a huge risk to life. Otherwise, tomorrow they'll run away and there will be no one to treat you.

Tomorrow it'll be too late to do anything at all.