“I’m choking on salmon because I couldn’t afford carp”: Belarusians ridicule another propaganda fake
A STB report on how Poles are "starving" before Christmas caused a storm of sarcasm on social media. Threads users tell various stories about how they are surviving.
Video screenshot: CTVBYvideo / YouTube
“Christmas holidays for Poles are accompanied by financial strain. According to surveys, more and more families cannot afford usual gifts and food. Prices in the country are growing faster than Christmas expectations,” declared the presenters of the “24 Hours” program on STB with serious faces.
“Food prices in the country have risen by 13%. Meat, cheese, chocolate, and fish have become particularly more expensive. For instance, a kilogram of carp in Poland costs about 60 zlotys. That’s almost 50 Belarusian rubles,” they reported in the program.
This report was noticed by one of the Threads users, who ironically asked the community:
“Maybe someone knows which dumpster in Poland I can find expired goods for the New Year’s table? I’d like to find mandarin peels, just to have some smell for New Year’s.”
“Completely insane. How to celebrate New Year with such prices?”
The post did not go unnoticed by other Belarusians, many of whom live in Poland. They were outraged by the blatant lie about prices and began to compete in “tragic” stories about their miserable lives, stylizing comments after state TV narratives.
“We bought a box of mandarins (10 kg) at the market for 15 zlotys (about 12 rubles – NN), and in the store, they are already twice as expensive! Prices are unbearable! Fresh meat was sold yesterday at ‘Biedronka’ for 6 PLN/kg (4.80 rubles – NN)… Completely insane. How to celebrate New Year with such prices?”
“Yes, fish is very expensive. Chilled boneless salmon fillet – 49.9 zlotys (40 rubles – NN). And before Christmas at ‘Biedronka,’ they even gave the second one for free. When my husband brought me 2 kg for the price of one, I started crying… He spent his whole salary! And we only bought 5 kg of carp for 17 zlotys (about 14 rubles – NN), not more as I wanted. Oh, in Belarus, salmon is probably free…”
“Couldn’t afford carp, had to choke on salmon fillet. Sausage is expensive, had to buy prosciutto. Very difficult.”
“Couldn’t afford normal cheese, had to buy moldy ones – brie and some gorgonzola. No ‘Soviet champagne,’ have to buy French. And it’s not even semi-sweet, but brut! Horrible, in short.”
“It’s scary to live in Poland, scary… hungry and cold. Honest word! Alright, I’m going to make a salmon sandwich, because I couldn’t afford anything else.”
“And with such prices, we won’t even set a table for New Year’s, we’re going to a free concert. Some Sting will be singing. I think many people will come due to the inability to set a table – we’ll huddle together, at least we’ll save on heating.”
The author of the post also posted a picture of a lavishly set table and captioned it – “Christmas table of an average factory worker in Belarus.”
“Was all this given out at the factory?” they ask.
“No. Not everything they gave out fit in the frame. The trade unions even had to give an additional refrigerator to everyone.”
Why don’t Poles know the “truth”?
Belarusians also joked about why Poles themselves are unaware of their “miserable” situation.
“And do Poles know about this?” someone asked.
“Of course not! Have you seen how much electricity costs there? Not everyone can afford to turn on the TV to learn the truth,” they ironize in response.
Some go further and humorously develop the narrative of Belarusian propaganda:
“Poland has opened two more crossings so that Poles can buy quality cheap products for the holidays in Belarus.”
“I’m waiting for a parcel from my parents for New Year’s: a kilogram of buckwheat and a pood of salt…”
“Belarus is already preparing an army of drones with buckwheat and carp instead of a warhead.”
“Does anyone actually believe this?”
However, behind the jokes, there is also exhaustion from constant lies. Many users note that while state TV looks for problems in its neighbors, the situation in Belarus itself is far from ideal.
“Does anyone actually believe this? Very competent when it comes to the economy of another country. Have they already discussed all their milk yields and haymaking?” one commentator indignantly asks.
“Just don’t forget to mention that there are a ton of promotions here before the holidays. Take as much as you want, there are many discounts. And in Belarus, as always, everything will increase in price, everyone wants to get rich in one day,” adds another.
“I love Belarusian media so much… First Poles are running to us for buckwheat, then they are freezing… Now they’ve become poor for New Year’s. And with us, supposedly everything is fine?! Prices have soared into space, salaries, to put it mildly, are not as on TV. But apparently, it’s clearer from abroad…”