Stanislau Shushkevich: “EU sanctions do not have effect on Belarus”
- 25.10.2010, 13:49
The European Union plans to extend sanctions against 41 Belarusian officials including Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Euromost.org talks about that with the former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich.
As a Belgian edition EU Observer informed, in the end of this week in Brussels European experts negotiate the issue of extending sanctions and the text of the statement on the issue, which is to be passed by the ministers of foreign affairs of the EU countries on October 25.
Simultaneously with extension of the sanctions, which ban Belarusian officials from entering the territory of the united Europe, the European Union extends the moratorium on their applying to 36 persons. The moratorium is not applied to five persons: a former commander of Minsk special task force Yury Padabed, two former Interior Ministers Yury Sivakou and Uladzimir Navumau, a former Prosecutor General Viktar Sheiman and the CEC chair Lidziya Yarmoshyna, BelaPAN informs.
According to EU Observer, in the statement which would be adopted on October 25, it is said that the Council of the EU “deeply regrets absence of progress” in Belarus in such spheres as the rule of law, human rights, freedom of speech, meetings and associations. At the same time it is stated in the document: “The Council reminds the critical importance of the EU policy towards Belarus and necessity to maintain a political dialogue with Belarus at a high level, as a means to find mutual understanding and create a possibility to solve the problems which cause concern.”
- Frankly speaking, recently I do not really understand the policy of the EU, as there seems to some fuss there, Stanislau Shushkevich said. – They seem to have made a departure from some their principles. But I prefer to be in the shade in this issue, as later European officials always tell me that they followed recommendations of the Belarusian opposition, or no one knows whom. But the fact that the sanctions are to be extended for a year means that Europe understands perfectly well what is really happening in Belarus. So they passed a decision not to allow the persons who behave in an anti-democratic and antihuman way, to visit the civilized world.
- They decided to ban 5 persons, a former commander of Minsk special task force Yury Padabed, two former Interior Ministers Yury Sivakou and Uladzimir Navumau, a former Prosecutor General Viktar Sheiman and the CEC chair Lidziya Yarmoshyna…
- They are not politicians, but levers of executing the orders from higher authorities. So I repeat that I do not understand that entirely. This sanction is not effective at all. When the US froze the accounts, everyone went nuts. Europe has not demonstrated something like that yet.
- But there is nothing wrong in Europe’s trying to make Belarus closer, for the country to make steps towards democratization of the society?
- They won’t see any steps, it must be clear. That’s what the regime is based upon. There should be noble principles. Like John Paul II had. The slogan that the politics is carried out by dirty hands, is a foolishness. These are inventions of people who want to make indecorous things in politics.
- What do you think about the recent visit of Dalia Grybauskaite to Belarus?
- My reaction was normal. First I was very worried by that fact, but after she met with oppositional candidates, I liked that very much. The person is true to certain principles. She is a highly educated and decent woman. I like her subtle approach to politics.