Stanislau Shushkevich: “Lukashenka would had the nerve to show up in Prague”
- 21.04.2009, 12:21
The former chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus believes that to invite the Belarusian dictator to the European Union summit is a great mistake.
“I think that to invite Lukashenka to the summit is a great mistake by Europe,” Stanislau Shushkevich stated in an interview to the Charter’97 press-centre. “Such a political gesture legalizes his regime, which is not recognized by Europe and considered illegitimate. There is great fuss in Europe now. Firstly, the election to the European Parliament is taking place now. It should be demonstrated that some work has been done in relations with Belarus. Europe starts to rush about: at one moment they recognize the regime, at another not. They simply cannot imagine that such a wild man as Lukashenka could be a leader of a state, who deals with his opponents so mercilessly”.
Reports appeared in the press recently that before the Eastern Partnership summit a meeting of the Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg with Belarusian opposition leaders, including Stanislau Shushkevich, is to take place. However, as said by the politician, he hasn’t received an official invitation to the meeting with Mr Schwarzenberg.
“I haven’t received an official invitation yet,” the former chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus says. “I have received notification on the phone from an unofficial source who informed that I am invited to the meeting with Mr Schwarzenberg. I would be very glad if such a meeting takes place. I would say to Mr Schwarzenberg to follow the example of the President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus who stated that he won’t shake hands with Lukashenka and won’t invite him to his residence”.
Despite of the opinions of many experts that the Belarusian leader will send to the summit Syarhei Sidorski or Syarhei Martynau instead of himself, Stanislau Shushkevich claims that Lukashenka would go himself.
“I am sure he will go,” Stanislau Shushkevich believes. “And all our Belarusian propagandists will on the hunt in the corridors to make “flattering” shots, as it was at the OSCE summit in Istanbul when all the forces of propaganda worked for catching the moment when Lukashenka shakes hands with Clinton. The same would happen here. After the summit Belarusian propagandists will be trumpeting for the whole world to hear: “Look, the whole Europe has accepted Lukashenka”.
As stated by Stanislau Shushkevich, the Belarusian dictator won’t be even stopped by possible protests of leaders of European states during the summit. “Lukashenka’s insolence is great enough. He would say to the possible attacks of European leaders that not everybody in Europe has understood him still,” the politician said.
According to Stanislau Shushkevich, improved dialogue of Belarus with the European Union won’t become the result of the summit.
“We do not have a legitimate regime,” the politician says. “The results of the last presidential election are not recognized by Europe. In Belarus some political prisoners have been released, while others have been imprisoned. If some changes in the dialogue between Belarus and the EU would happen, they are possible only in Europe, as in European countries the authorities are controlled by the society. In Belarus there is no public control. After the summit the Belarusian propaganda is to continue its work here, which would claim we are the happiest nation in the world”.