Putin Managed to Get into WTO, While I Stayed without Fridge

Russia became the 154th member of the World Trade Organization in two days of deadline. Moscow carried on negotiations about joining trade organization from the moment of its creation in 1995. Protocol on Accession of Russia was signed in Geneva on December, 16, 2011. Thus Russia should ratify the document within 220 days — that is till July, 23, 2012.

President Vladimir Putin signed the law on ratification of the Protocol on Accession of Russia to the Marrakesh agreement on establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) from April, 15, 1994, the press service of the Kremlin reports on Saturday.

“The protocol legalizes membership of the Russian Federation in the World Trade Organization,” — press service of the president specifies.

A lot have been already written about the harm which membership in WTO will bring the Russian economy, there’s even nothing new to add. I am now in Ukraine which entered WTO long ago and had already reaped the fruits.

There is an opinion that WTO easies the life of consumers - if they, certainly, have money. But, firstly, the vast majority of the Ukrainians doesn’t have money. Therefore though something became cheaper, generally life became more expensive, especially food. Today prices for food are almost at a level of Moscow ones, while salaries... 100 dollars in Ukraine are already a salary. What is possible to afford oneself on such salary? To smell sausages?

While we, Russians, feel freely in Ukraine – everything’s within the pocket.

For example, consumer electronics. World brands here are slightly cheaper. Though there are also “own”, Ukrainian - for example, Delfi - brand of a large distribution network "Foxtrot". Progress! Globalization! Only this "Foxtrot" orders production of "its" equipment... in China. So, what about own, Ukrainian production?

Few days ago I bought refrigerator of the brand Nord - such well-known, Ukrainian brand. I bought it not somewhere on the market, but in one of the shops of a large chain “Technopolis”, in the city of Sevastopol on Pozharov Street. Well, why not to support local producer, I thought, the more so I live here temporary and it will not have to work a lot.

I should have kept my ears open when in large shop they suggested me not to wait for a free delivery for the whole week, but to use services of "uncle Vasya". But I decided that a week living in heat without the fridge is a bit too much and agreed on private services.

Wonderful refrigerator Nord, model TFR 246 worked exactly three days. At first a bulb in the refrigerating chamber went out and then the compressor ceased to work. Once and for all.

Then I had to learn all delights of globalization.

It turns out that there’s no service centers of the Ukrainian brand Nord in Sevastopol! There is Samsung and LG, Philips and Electrolux, but there’s no Nord! All Crimean peninsula (200 km from north to south and 350 from west to east) is being served by service center in Simferopol, at that Sevastopol with population in 400 thousand people isn't included into the Crimean autonomy and is quite independent subject of Ukraine.

However, service center by phone accepted request under the number 172247 (according to number it is possible to estimate how many happy buyers have problems with the wonderful equipment) and promised to call in a week. It’s 34 degrees above zero outside. I have no refrigerator.

However I was told useful thing - I was told that under the Ukrainian law on the rights of consumers (very similar to the Russian and all others - hurrah globalization!) I can simply bring refrigerator back to the shop within 2 weeks and change it or return my money.

The shop where I came with check and service book refused to accept the refrigerator. A girl Uliyana, the biggest boss who condescended to my request, declared that as soon as I used the refrigerator (which is natural otherwise how could I learn about its remarkable consumer qualities), it’s already "not new" (!) and “Tekhnopolis” could accept it only and exclusively after examination of the service center - which will call in a week and when it will arrive, it will be already late to hand over the refrigerator. It was remarkable that Uliyana told: "I wouldn't sell these refrigerators at all, why did you buy this Ukrainian garbage?"

Private master whom I called for additional money arrived in 2 hours, examined refrigerator and firmly reported: compressor broke. This model is equipped by cheap and extremely unreliable compressor Bono of the joint Brazilian-Ukrainian production. If I will wait one more week, the shop won’t take it back and service center will carry out "restoration", that is instead of old crappy compressor it will set the same – may be it will work till the end of a warranty period, but then it should be again changed. It costs exactly half of the price of the whole refrigerator.

However, private master advised to address consumer rights bureau.

I will go there. I remind that Ukraine is the member of WTO for a long time, by all estimations it should have already been passing the period of blossoming of industry. Impractical should die off, perspective should start exuberant development!? It is possible when refrigerators Nord will start producing in China, not in Donetsk.

Are you still waiting for advantages from accession to WTO for consumers? Come then to Ukraine, you will find here a lot of such advantages... Now Russia will also have them.

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