Stanislau Shushkevich: “Ferrero-Waldner could be deluded like other EU representatives”

• 11.02.2009, 8:44

The former head of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich believes that the Belarusian authorities can mislead Europe.

The probable visit of Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy is discussed in Belarus.

The first leader of the independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich believes that the visit of Benita Ferrero-Waldner can have a controlling function, Deutsche Welle writes. The politician believes that the European Commissioner wants to see for herself that there is certain breakthrough. “She could be misled in the same way it is done with less informed EU representatives,” Stanislau Shushkevich stressed.

According to Stanislau Shushkevich, previously the policy of Europe towards Belarus was ineffective for a long time. The politician notes that the previous measures related to sanctions, which he personally met without any particular enthusiasm, in fact produced no results.

“I think that Strasbourg and Brussels officialdom haven’t operated in the best way they could, as with the exception of political prisoners’ release, I know no other results, so all that is nothing but talks about some bright future,” Stanislau Shushkevich said.

As for potential results of the probable visit of Benita Ferrero-Waldner to Belarus, Stanislau Shushkevich believes that “Benita Ferrero-Waldner is unlikely to find any changes in the country, except Lukashenka’s reassurances that we are moving in the direction of Europe and towards democracy”.

As we have informed, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy., is to arrive to Minsk on a visit in the beginning of March.