Raman Yakauleuski: Minsk obstinately continues its anti-European policy

• 17.02.2012, 13:04

Any compromise is viewed by Minsk only just as a weakness of the opponent.

Such an opinion has been expressed by a political analyst Raman Yakauleuski to a reporter of a website “Tovarishch.online”.

At the session of February 16 the European Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution condemning death penalty to Kanavalau and Kavalyou charged with terrorism, and calls upon the authorities of Belarus to declare a moratorium on capital punishment.

Besides, the resolution condemns the ongoing crackdown on human rights activists, democratic opposition activists, civil society and mass media in Belarus on political grounds, and contains a demand to release all political prisoners immediately.

“The call of the European Parliament to declare a moratorium on capital punishment was not a novelty for the Belarusian authorities,” Raman Yakauleuski said. “But as the PACE noted on numerous occasions, where the issue of capital punishment was brought up many times, a moratorium could be a viable compromise between Minsk and Europe on the way for normalization of relations.”

He attracts attention to the fact that in the document adopted by the European Parliament, not only “Minsk terrorists” are mentioned, but political prisoners as well.

“The fact that they had to remind about the political prisoners in the resolution as well, could demonstrate that official Minsk obstinately continues to pursue its anti-European policy, in which every compromise is viewed just as a weakness of the opponent,” Raman Yakauleuski underlined.

It should be added that for today Belarus is the only state in Europe where such a type of punishment as capital punishment has been preserved.