Lukashenko on MAZ: competition, not quality

The issue of MAZ buses catching fire sparked sharp remarks from President Alexander Lukashenko, who stated: "We can no longer keep selling our products abroad without providing proper service. And I don't even want to talk about quality. Let our products be two percent more expensive—MAZ, BELAZ, MTZ, and so on. But they must be high-quality products." According to sources, the discussion aims to show that competition leads to service problems rather than highlighting quality issues. Media regularly report on repairs and fires involving passenger buses, which critics believe point to manufacturing flaws.

Context

MAZ is the largest bus manufacturer in Belarus, frequently discussed in the context of exports and equipment quality.