Kenny Shovel
Active Member
Yes I understand about this, I have had customs at Odessa airport trying to get their ‘palms greased (with money)’, but I wasn’t interested in playing their game so they got bored and let me go on my way.Sergo said:You know, most of our Russian customs people are much better businessmen than the average lot, really. The problem is their "business" is a very special one. (I plan to try to write a book about our customs and its role in Russian life someday, it is impossible to explain without lengthy descriptions). They use their power to get some black money in bribes for black governmental purposes, and, of course, for their own needs.
There were a number of problems, from both sides, and yes safety of tourists, or at least them feeling they would be safe, was one of them.Sergo said:And as to camping in Crimea... .. I do not think the customs would have been the only problem needed to be solved there. There are some grave problems there - several people get killed on the Sea shore every year, some other crimes (wow, they spell alike) are quite common there... Why, I was myself robbed there once, and had to sell some of my things to buy a ticket to Moscow. And when you offer people a tourist service - such problems could be a serious obstacles...
Problems with customs/officials put me off another idea I had which involved a friend of mine who is Indian. In India there seems to be a better culture for a business to survive, which may be why that country is seen to be a future economic super-power, this really should be the case for Russia as well, but you would have a better idea of how well equipped your country is for economic growth than me!
In my case it was not so much customs that would be a problem for tourists, for the other idea yes, but other factors also get in the way.Sergo said:And as to customs problems - for a person who specialises in solving such, it is not too difficult, as customs really want that all problems were solved to their profit, but they cannot get into negotiations with everybody naturally, out of fear to be compromised. So these customs problems with your Crimea project could surely be solved - but the right person is needed to be found for that.
This was the impression I got of Gorbachev. I knew he was not so popular with Russians and I have always suspected that he began a process which started to move under its own weight and ended up going to somewhere he did not intend. He seems however, to be very adaptable and is quite happy for people, in west, to believe this was his plan all alone. I seem to remember that he now makes a lot of money from giving speeches in the West to this effect.Sergo said:People keep calling our chiefs of state names sometimes not because chiefs are bad, but because people do not like results of those chiefs' decisions... For example, very many Russians do not like Gorbachev for exactly the same reason that the West prises him - that he "demolished the USSR". And both are mistaken, as Gorbachev has never done that thing, and never really intended to do so. What he wanted - was to adjust Communist ideology and practice to new circumstances of life. He wanted to make Communism stronger, but as it was impossible to change it - it just crushed down, against intentions of Gorbachev.
Sure this was a painful thing for many of your people, but of course also inevitable. It still seems to be a source of anger and concern for many now, I remember that the first day the Baltic states joined Nato, Nato planes flew patrols over them, and very close to Russia, and this was not received well in your country. Now of course the Ukraine wants to join, and Russian generals as invited to Nato meeting to try and calm fears. A very different world to the one I remember 20 years ago!Sergo said:Yeltsin is despised by our people for his decision to allow Baltic states, Byelorussia, Ukraina etc. to get independence. But it is obvious that it was not possible not to allow that - it would mean a bloodshed obviously, with the far worse results...
I remembered that it was some remote region of Russia, but not exactly where. I’m not sure how he can do this job as he seems to live in England now. Certainly he is at every Chelsea game.Sergo said:It is a custom for our prominebt businessmen to seek some near-government functions - just in case... Abramovich is a Deputate from Chukotka, a region to the far North of Russia. It was said that to get elected he spent a lot of money, mostly on foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages... But some on schools and foodstuffs shops too...
Sure, but yours is a proud people, if it feels like your country is being bought piece by piece they won’t like it, no one would. I am not saying this is happening just that it can be the impression.Sergo said:Yep, I see. Though I cannot see myself that somebody making money is bad, if Russia gets its percent, people get paid and ecology is not spoilt. It is better to work for a westerner, than not to work at all.