It is impossible to refuse from socialism gradually, Poland's 'shock therapy' reformer Leszek Balcerowicz said in Minsk.
He made a speech at the international conference Transformation Programme for Belarus: Regional Experience and Challenges on April 17.
"No doubt - there has never been any good socialism anywhere in the world and will never be – it is against human nature. Socialism can exist like it does in Cuba or North Korea. But what kind of existence is that?” BelaPAN quotes he economist.
Democratization is needed for successful economic reforms, he thinks. He sees democratization as open political competition. “Civil liberties are needed for it, you need the freedom of assembly and press. The state apparatus needs to be rebuilt; you need independent courts and professional prosecutors. The main economic reforms are political,” the Polish expert stressed.
Reforms must always be fast, he added. He came to the conclusion after studying reforms in different post-communist states.
