Sound Bites from Eastern Europe

“The Black Market did more to keep the Soviet-Bloc economy afloat than any other official policy implemented by the Communist Regime.”

“Martial law, imposed by General Wojciech Jaruzelski on December 13^th 1981, may have been the better of evils when compared with the potential for Soviet invasion.”

“The Western intelligence community relied heavily on students and the ex-pat business community to get a lot of its work done.”

“Soviet troops stationed in Poland faced incredible hardships as they were hated by the Poles and abandoned by a bankrupt communist regime unable to feed or clothe its troops in the Bloc outposts.”

“The Polish Secret Police were well trained by the East German Stasi.  Who better to ally ourselves than the Poles as we watch the continued antics of the post-communist Russia and Putin?”

“Western multinationals, almost all, engaged in some pretty serious corruption during the early days of setting up in the region. Not doing so would have precluded you from making money and exposed you to physical risk by the Russian and Polish Mafia.”

“They should do a reality show featuring the lives of the prostitutes in the Moscow luxury hotels. Big money, murder, espionage, and corruption abounds while a whole generation of young girls aspire to be part of the show.”

“Money, funneled into the country by the CIA couriers , was delivered to Solidarity’s leaders in a lot of creative ways. During one meeting , a Catholic priest and brother to a former U.S. Secretary of State, pulled up his gown and personally handed Lech Walesa a package of cash that he himself had smuggled into the country.”

“American corporations, bound by the Anti-Corruption Act, were at a severe disadvantage during the early 90’s in Poland. German, French, and Italian firms would come in and quickly engage in backhanded  deals and offer kickbacks as ‘business as usual’."

“When asked why one black marketeer had chosen his criminal activity over his profession as a lawyer, he replied, ‘I can’t afford to work officially under communism.’”