It would appear the Crimean referendumwas bought with promises. And now Russia is stuck with a welfarestate.
Services cut, authoritarian control ofthe economy, trains no longer running, a client state who's onlymarket is Russia...sounds like Putin has restored the Soviet Union.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/08/o...nd-ukraine-andrey-kurkov/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
'...Under pressure from the Kremlin,Russian airlines -- the only ones now flying to the peninsula -- haveslashed prices on flights. I think Russian oligarchs will soonreceive an order from the Kremlin to buy holiday packages to Crimeansanitoriums and resorts for their employees.
Otherwise how will the Kremlin get 8million Russian visitors promised to Crimea this summer?
And if all of Russia's citizens dodecide to support Crimean hotels and resorts this summer, then whowill visit the newly built super-resort of Sochi?
But the summer season in Crimea onlylasts a little more than three months. And after that, what? Crimeaproduces wine and grows fruit. They can only export it to Russia, butRussia has enough wine and fruit of its own.
Putin will have no other choice but tofollow Europe's example and subsidize farmers and winemakers so theydon't grow anything and reduce wine production.
The impact of this "acquisition"on Russia's budget looks scary. No wonder that the pre-referendumpromise to quadruple pensions for Crimea's residents has beenreplaced with one to reconsider it starting from January 2016.
Currently tram and trolleybus driver'ssalaries are frozen, the number of suburban trains had been cut andpeople are trying to figure out how to keep on living...
For the last 20 years Crimea has beenknown for its love for everything Soviet. Strictly speaking, Crimeahas remained Soviet. Against the background of south Crimea's trulystunning coast, lovingly preserved Soviet monuments look very odd. Myfavorite one -- a big statue of Lenin in Koreiz, not far from Yalta-- has him standing on the cliff looking sternly in the direction ofTurkey...'
Services cut, authoritarian control ofthe economy, trains no longer running, a client state who's onlymarket is Russia...sounds like Putin has restored the Soviet Union.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/08/o...nd-ukraine-andrey-kurkov/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
'...Under pressure from the Kremlin,Russian airlines -- the only ones now flying to the peninsula -- haveslashed prices on flights. I think Russian oligarchs will soonreceive an order from the Kremlin to buy holiday packages to Crimeansanitoriums and resorts for their employees.
Otherwise how will the Kremlin get 8million Russian visitors promised to Crimea this summer?
And if all of Russia's citizens dodecide to support Crimean hotels and resorts this summer, then whowill visit the newly built super-resort of Sochi?
But the summer season in Crimea onlylasts a little more than three months. And after that, what? Crimeaproduces wine and grows fruit. They can only export it to Russia, butRussia has enough wine and fruit of its own.
Putin will have no other choice but tofollow Europe's example and subsidize farmers and winemakers so theydon't grow anything and reduce wine production.
The impact of this "acquisition"on Russia's budget looks scary. No wonder that the pre-referendumpromise to quadruple pensions for Crimea's residents has beenreplaced with one to reconsider it starting from January 2016.
Currently tram and trolleybus driver'ssalaries are frozen, the number of suburban trains had been cut andpeople are trying to figure out how to keep on living...
For the last 20 years Crimea has beenknown for its love for everything Soviet. Strictly speaking, Crimeahas remained Soviet. Against the background of south Crimea's trulystunning coast, lovingly preserved Soviet monuments look very odd. Myfavorite one -- a big statue of Lenin in Koreiz, not far from Yalta-- has him standing on the cliff looking sternly in the direction ofTurkey...'