Cortege for governmental delegation costs more than 800 th. USD + photo
The prices for cars for such cortege start from 100 thousand dollars.
On May 22, the Chinese governmental delegation flew to Belarus. The cortege for it was compiled not only of the usual Toyotas, but also of the posh Mercedes cars of S-class. The price for such car with the most modest armory is 100 thousand dollars. However, there are also serial variants for 300 thousand dollars.
The Chinese flag on the Mercedes with Belarusian numbers.
Land Cruiser and Camry.
Audi A4 of the military auto inspection.
Euroradio counted 3 such Mercedes cars, two Land Cruisers, two Camrys and two minibuses Volkswagen, for the price of about 50 thousand dollars each, in the cortege. Supposing there are the cheapest versions of the cars there, this "auto park" will cost about 700 thousand dollars in total. In addition, the accompanying cars - two police Opel Astras and an Audi A4 of the military auto inspection will make another 100 thousand USD.
Black shiny automobiles with numbers of the "MI" category are always parked near ministries and state institutions. The state auto inspection confirms that cars with such numbers belong to the state. However, such cars may belong to ordinary Belarusians as well.
"As far as I know, the "MI" numbers are not just the state ones, there are private numbers of this series as well. At the same time, the state has other series, too".
Employees of the Belarusian representation of the concern Toyota tell Euroradio that they sell their cars to the ministries, and those are not the cheapest models.
"The presidential garages buy them. Basically, the state structures often buy cars from us. Usually, these are Camry, Land Cruiser 150, Land Cruiser 200".
A Land Cruiser near the National
press-center during the press-conference of Vice-PM Anatol Kalinin.
Camry costs starting from 40 thousand dollars, Land Cruiser - about 100. And these are not the
poshest cars that may appear in the corteges of the Belarusian officials.
"MI" numbers can be seen even on a Porsche.
Besides, the price for the right to drive a car with "MI" numbers is only 2 million 100 thousand Belarusian roubles. Head of the inter-district registration-examination department of the state auto inspection of Minsk city executive committee Victar Vinnichak says that more than 300 Belarusians have such "elite" numbers on their cars.
"You can buy such number and have no problem. As for the "MI" series, I am even afraid to tell you which number it has already reached, as so many physical persons bought these numbers! About 300 and maybe even more!"
Theoretically, one can buy a black Mercedes, or at least a Toyota Camry, order the "MI" numbers, and drive round Minsk as a king. Which auto inspector will dare to stop such a car?
