Boris Vishnevsky blog post, 6.04.2020

* St. George ribbons in Russia are considered to be a symbol of the USSR victory in the Second World War.

The Russian government, instead of allocating funds for the purchase of the necessary number of personal protection equipment (masks, respirators, gloves, protective suits and so on), which are lacking in hospitals and clinics, and which are not available in many pharmacies, decided to monopolise their wholesale and retail adopting Resolution No. 431 of April 3.

Now everything is in the hands of the “federal operator” AO Roskhimzashchita (managed by Rostech, the State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology Industrial Product) and its “regional operators”.

Everyone who produces these goods can only supply them to “regional operators”. The retail sale of these goods is allowed only to organisations that have a license to carry out pharmaceutical activities “in the field of retail sale of medicines for medical use”. Those who trade have the right to purchase these goods in bulk only from the “operators”. They cannot buy directly from the manufacturer.

Where it all leads?

To the fact that the supply of these goods will decrease rather than increase.

If you one is allowed to sell only through one “window”, and only pharmacies can sell these goods, this will inevitably reduce the supply.

And the “federal” and “regional operators” will buy these goods not be from everyone, but only from those whom they consider necessary to buy from.

And the work of volunteers who are now trying to organise assistance to hospitals and clinics will be paralysed – the state monopolises the process.

But nothing good ever came of the monopoly!

Monopoly always means scarcity. And the black market. And rampancy of law enforcement and regulatory agencies. And, certainly, the attempts to bypass this monopoly – they will be selling “non-medical masks”. And will try to refer to respirators as “mini-gas masks” …

May someone think that all this is done in order to help doctors and patients?

No, this is done so that “their” producers could urgently (tomorrow there may be no longer be such an opportunity) make profit on this.

Because in any situation the “residents” of the Kremlin think first of all about what they can get in their pockets on this.

Or in the pockets of friends and acquaintances. “The best people of the city”.

They should have said: if there is such a demand, make masks, gloves, respirators and so on – all who can! And sell wherever you can!

But no, there is a state monopoly instead it.

And it would have been even better if the state itself ordered and organised free distribution of masks on any corner. Instead of St. George ribbons.

BORIS VISHNEVSKY

is Deputy Chairman of the Yabloko party,

member of Yabloko’s Federal Political Committee and Yabloko’s Bureau,

head of the Yabloko faction in the St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly