Portfolios for All-Belarus People's Congress delegates cost Br1bn

Every delegate of the All-Belarus People's Congress gets the so called 'delegate's portfolio.' Usually, it contains some hand-outs with statistics and a present. Portfolios were manufactured by Galanteya company. When asked by Euroradio, the company confirmed that one could order a similar portfolio (without a badge) with the price tag of around Br400 thousand (approx. $20). When multiplied at the number of delegates (2500), portfolios alone should cost around Br1 billion ($50 000).

This year, the delegate's kit also contained tablets. Young particiapnts of the forum enthusiastically took pictures posing with Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0, according to the photos. 

Remarkably, the state bids website ists only one tender to acquire this device - in June the Minsk City Executive Committee bought 400 tablets at the total cost of Br1.499 million. Minsk is represented at the congress by exactly 400 delegates. Euroradio has spotted no other bid announcement. If taking into account that 2500 people took part in the congress, the government spent Br9.37 billion or $475 000 on the tablets for the delegates.

It is yet to be known what else is inside the portfolios this year. But the tablets and portofolios alone cost around $526 000

The 'delegate's portfolio' at the 4th Congress which was held in 2010 contained two pens, a Belarus-made watch Lutch and a Horizon microwave oven.