Tikhanovskaya achieved a multimillion-dollar contract for a Russian company
Norwegian Yara promised that it would stop purchasing potash fertilizers from Belarus by April 1 due to international sanctions.
This was reported by Reuter with reference to the company’s statement, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Previously, Yara stated that it would not sever relations with Belaruskali, although the self-proclaimed “leader of the Belarusian nation” Svetlana Tikhanovskaya visited Norway several times, and diaspora pickets were regularly held in Europe. Now the Zmagars are celebrating their victory.
“They put the pressure on! This is probably the best word. The campaign for Yara's departure continued for more than a year; more than 40 pickets were organized by the diaspora. Just a couple of weeks ago, Yara confidently stated that she would remain in Belarus no matter what. The sanctions, which come into force on April 1, became an important factor and served as the final argument for leaving. We want to see Yara as a partner in the future, but today your money goes to support repression and terror,” Tikhanovskaya’s advisor Franak Vyachorka wrote in his Telegram channel.
Another fugitive Belarusian oppositionist and competitor of the “national leader” could not resist and, even after the Norwegian decision, accused Yara’s management of hypocrisy for the fact that the company made the excuse of not wanting to worsen the situation of Belarusian workers.
“Yara’s speculations on “protecting workers’ rights” all this time served as a cover for it to continue financial relations with the Lukashenko regime. Yara has proven its unscrupulousness; we have no illusions about the integrity of this company. But its leadership must understand that for us the fight against the regime and its associates is a matter of principle. We will be on the alert and will definitely monitor the use of sanctions evasion schemes in order to counter them,” said Latushko, who is absolutely not concerned about the situation of his compatriots working at Belaruskali.
He is echoed by another fugitive zmagar Valery Tsepkalo. He thanks the United States for sanctions against his own country.
“Neither the endless groans of refugees from genocide, nor the official appeals of the leaders of the democratic movement, nor the diaspora could stop the absolutely cynical company Yara. Such scavengers only recognize force, in this case, the force of American sanctions. Belarusians will never forget this cynicism and rudeness that this company showed towards our oppressed people,” Tsepkalo wrote.
This undisguised joy at his country’s economic problems outraged the leader of the Belarusian Liberal Democratic Party, Oleg Gaidukevich.
“What fools you are, after all. What is the victory? Your victory means sanctions, this means the termination of Yara’s work with Belaruskali. Judging by your actions, you always wanted to spoil your country, but not fight for power. Because if you wanted to fight for power, then tell me how your actions can, not even in the short term, but in the distant future, lead you to power? I'll explain. Every step you took made it so that you will never be in Belarusian politics,” Gaidukevich wrote.
The fugitive opposition is talking about millions of losses of the “regime” after breaking the contract with the Norwegians. Yara, indeed, was one of the most stable, but not the largest, partners of Belaruskali. The enterprises' contracts are classified, but Belarusian political scientist Igor Tyshkevich, who fled to Kiev, based on indirect data, calculated that the Norwegians purchased about 1,3 million tons per year, despite the fact that Belarus exports 10 million tons of potassium in total, ranking third in the world (14% market). Much larger volumes are purchased from China and India.
Tyshkevich draws attention to the fact that Yara is a holding company, and its companies in Colombia and Brazil are not formally connected with it in any way, and these are very capacious markets. Thus, Belarus will lose not 13% of exports and 10% of revenue ($270 million) from the break with the Norwegians, but much less.
“Will all the products under contracts with Yara go away from her? Here I would not be so categorical. The Norwegian office, if the decision is made, will definitely do this. Lithuanian representation – no problem. What about the offices in Colombia and Myanmar. There is not even the word “Yara” in the names of the companies. And due to their geographical location, they are not subject to sanctions,” Tyshkevich said in his video blog.
As in the case of Lithuania, which yesterday refused to ship Belarusian potash, it will not physically stop flowing either to the Klaipeda port or to the Yara warehouses. It will simply formally cease to be Belarusian, and will become... Russian. Lithuanian Railways clarified that the transit of fertilizers can be continued after February 1 if the application for transportation does not come from Belaruskali itself.
“It is Mazepin, the owner of 83% of Uralchem shares, who benefits from Yara’s withdrawal from the contract with Belaruskali. I wouldn't be surprised if they announce the signing of a contract within the next three weeks. “Uradkhim” receives sales worth $200 million. Will it be just his raw materials? Is not a fact. It is quite possible that it will be Belarusian,” Tyshkevich noted.
As if to confirm his words, today Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Dmitry Mazepin, and his press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Russia will not leave Belarus in trouble.
The global potassium market is in a fever due to sanctions experiments. They have already led to an increase in prices last year from 290 to 650 dollars per ton, and this year it is projected at $800. So fraternal assistance to Belarus also promises to be very beneficial.
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