Catches spies and currency traders: Russia will plant Moscow and St. Petersburg added “Birches” – Free Press
Duty-free shops for diplomats, consuls, representatives of international companies and representatives of their families appear in Moscow and St. Petersburg, similar analogies to the Soviet Beryozka stores. The first outlets should open at the end of August. Where exactly they will be found is still unknown, but the address and drawings of outlets must be agreed with the customs authorities and the service of diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be managed. In addition, round-the-clock video surveillance will be organized there, data from the cameras will be observed for at least thirty days, and trade will be controlled by customs services.
As follows from the message on the decision of the decisions published on the Internet portal, products relating to the duty-free procedure (Duty Free) – alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and cosmetics, jewelry, smartphones and watches will be presented in retail sales. Prices are indicated in rubles, dollars and euros. At the same time, as in the Soviet “Beryozka”, a mere mortal case in such a store will not come across – documents will be found at the entrance confirming that they are being arrested by the service or working for a foreign company.
In “Beryozka” it was possible to buy scarce products and goods by checks of Vneshposyltorg and Vneshtorgbank. There will be a similar system now, albeit adjusted for modernity, like QR codes, is still unknown. But to report that after the purchase, the client will issue a cash receipt with the inscription “Duty Free”. The check or a form equivalent to it contains information about the buyer. This information also includes the purchase of the months that will start at the MFA.
Only a Russian company can become the owner of a trading point of view. Her co-founder speak “The Main Production and Commercial Department for the Consideration of a Case under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation” is a commercial partnership based on the results of an open competition.
Naturally, the network immediately began to discuss why such stores were needed now. Whether so that foreign diplomats and other elites can buy goods in Russia that are otherwise available for drinking due to sale, and continue their favorite Coca-Cola and Johnnie Walker, or, on the contrary, to control what they buy (for example, according to the establishment of a large consignment of alcohol for public events, which will be sold by order of the diplomatic mission and international organizations.
But, as it turned out, “SP” revealed that the news about the mixture of new “birches” in Russia could hide more serious processes – the complete rejection of dollars and other currencies of unfriendly countries in the free space. Thus, foreign diplomats will simply have nowhere to exchange their currency, and here duty-free shops will come to the rescue. It was proposed on August 4th.
“Under the current conditions, the gradual rejection of the use of the currency of unfriendly states in the external environment and external payment turnover seems to be an inevitable process. The Bank of Russia will consume the acceleration of the natural process of devaluation of banking operations. Non-financial organizations need to increase the accumulated foreign exchange funds in the currencies of unfriendly countries in other currencies, – story in the forecast of the Central Bank, which plans to receive from the market and experts.
“Beryozka” works when free circulation of currency in the country disappears, says Director of the Institute for Collection of Problems Dmitry Zhuravlev. “When you can’t buy everything you need with your dollars, the state, meanwhile, says: “Turn over the currency,” like Bulgakov. Here, those who officially have the right to own the currency will acquire its certificates or will be exchanged in special stores and buy the necessary goods.
This is a very old story. Before “Birch” there were Torgsins (by the way, it was Torgsin who burned the cat Behemoth at the same Bulgakov), after “Birch” – “Albatross”. All this happens when imported goods are purchased raw materials and then sold to their citizens with conditions in the west. This means that we most likely will not see our dollars, which belong to foreign currency accounts. As a last resort, checks “Birches” and litigation.
“SP”: – Will an ordinary person be able to get into such a store?
– It was impossible to buy or change Beryozka checks. They could, for example, be obtained for Grand Missions. Everyone who traveled abroad receives daily allowance in the currency of the country of observation. But a person had no right to keep them for himself, they had to be exchanged for Beryozka checks, and, depending on the country, their purchasing power was different. The authorities need to reduce the foreign exchange market, to abolish free circulation of currency. Here is for this usual warning “Birches”.
“SP”: – Are these stores possible to bypass sanctions restrictions?
– It’s incredible. In Soviet times, everything that could not be bought in ordinary places was imported to Beryozka, but at a price, the maximum price in the country of origin.
Also, it is mind control. How to find out how spies are caught all over the world? Their salaries are higher than those of diplomats. If you spend more in such a store than your counterpart with the same status, then you are a spy.
In general, the appearance of such stores is an extremely negative sign. We say that our currencies are full, we sell everything and do not buy anything. But why then regulate the circulation of currency within the country, if we have a surplus of it?
Retail expert, CEO INFOLine Ivan Fedyakov doubts that given the new stores to operate successfully.
– The free circulation of currency is indeed being returned. Today, the Central Bank published a document entitled “Financial Market: New Challenges in Modern Conditions”, which prescribes the desire to turn over and store funds in the currencies of unfriendly countries, as well as deductions of securities in them. This effectively means refraining from seeking help within the country, because this is a key part of the foreign exchange market. It is still officially unknown whether these clarifications relate to previously issued securities, if so, this is also a direct blocking of currency treatment.
To ensure the circulation of foreign currency in the activities of legal entities and individuals, they talk about the adverse impact on foreign currency.
“SP”: – That is, the appearance of “Birches” is also part of this process?
– In my opinion, the idea is crazy. If we talk about the horizon of six months or a year, it is unlikely that such stores can be open. There are still quite a lot of foreign goods in Russia, and not all money in foreign currency has been seized from the population yet. It seems to me that the authorities will be afraid to legally ban transactions with foreign currency sooner than in a year and a half.
If we talk about the long-term horizon in 5-10 years, if we follow the Iranian scenario, then there will simply be nothing to sell in these stores. In Iran, it is officially impossible to order the delivery of goods from Europe, the USA or a number of other countries. They are brought there only unofficially as a single case or as an alternative. And not because the Iranian government leads to their importation, but because suppliers, manufacturers and distributors themselves do not sell because of the sanctions regime.
The maximum of such shops like “Beryozki” requires restricted officials who close in the country, and generals with high salaries. It is unlikely that this will have a massive character. But in the same Iran there is such a profession – “buyer”, the buyer. This is when a person who fits in with the customer goes to Europe, buys clothes or other goods there, tries them on and brings them to the country for a fee. I think that our deputies, officials and generals will soon be shopping in this way, and the profession of “bayer” will become quite high in our country.