Volha Kazulina: “Lukashenka’s words is height of cynicism”

Alyaksandr Lukashenka admitted today he knew well about bad health of political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin’s wife and tried to use that situation for bargaining with the West. Iryna Kazulina is seriously ill, while her husband has been kept in prison for 2 years on political motives. Release of all political prisoners is the main requirement of the EU and the USA.

Visiting the Vitsebsk region today, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said there is no more the question on political prisoners. “Question concerning the so called political prisoners is closed,” Belarusian head of state said, answering Interfax’s question.

Speaking about political prisoners, Lukashenka said “we have no reasons the claims to be asserted.” “We’ll see what the US will do.” “I’d advice my nation, especially those, who blame me, to watch what the EU and US will do,” A. Lukashenka said. He stressed: “We’ve made a step forward, now let’s see what the European Union and the USA will do in this connection.”

According to Lukashenka, the so called political prisoners “were punished in accordance with the Criminal Code, for concrete crimes.” “We have no political articles,” A. Lukashenka noted.

“I think the way Europe raises a question is not worth a pin, so I decided to release the people, the West and the US had special feelings to,” A. Lukashenka said.

According to him, “they (political prisoners) have apparently done something good for the EU and the US, and they don’t leave them in trouble.” “It is the only thing I like in the positions of the EU and the USA,” A. Lukashenka said.

He declared: “As far as I know, only Kazulin didn’t agree with this position.” “The matter was that his wife is ill and the EU ambassadors addressed to me. It can happen to anybody, things do happen. I agreed – let him accompanied his wife. She may be treated in Germany, he needs to follow his wife,” A. Lukashenka noted.

As he said, “as for the information I’ve received this morning, he refused to treat her.” “But it’s family troubles, he refused, it’s his problem. I offered everything I could, but he refused to treat her,” the president said.

According to him, “he (Kazulin) refused even after his daughters came to him and persuaded him to rescue their mother (Kazulin’s wife), but he doesn’t need this mother.” “I don’t want to intermeddle in other people’s business, time will place everything to order,” A. Lukashenka concluded.

Volha Kazulina: “It’s shameless and inhuman”

The Charter’97 press center asked Kazulin’s daughter Volha to comment on Lukashenka’s statements.

“Our mother is dying and Alyaksandr Lukashenka knows it perfectly. Speaking he is ready to release our father for mother’s treatment is height of cynicism. Let him not hide behind our mother. It’s shameless and inhuman,” Volha Kazulina said.

Andrei Sannikov: “Any bargains and speculations on people’s health don’t make reputation of the Belarusian authorities better in Europe”

Andrei Sannikov, international coordinator of Charter’97, one of the initiators of the civil campaign “European Belarus,” comments on Lukashenka’s words:

“Lukashenka has admitted today he knows well about the situation with Iryna Kazulina’s health, but in spite of it, he tries to use this situation for bargaining. It’s really height of cynicism and in spite of being merciful, he is again stressing the inhuman character of power in Belarus. One shouldn’t be cunning. The European Union said clearly, development of any relations is possible only after all political prisoners are released and political repressions are stopped. Exchange of political prisoners to trade preferences with the EU will fail, in spite of all promises of Lukashenka’s advisers and some European diplomats.

Lukashenka is trying by all means to keep innocent Kazulin in prison. So he is hiding behind other political prisoners: Klimau, Zdzvizhkou, Kim in order Kazulin not to be the only political prisoner in Belarus. But these manoeuvres are so cynically obvious, that Lukashenka can find himself in greater blockade instead of bettering relations with the European Union, because the situation with political prisoners, their health and health of their relatives is watched not so much by EU countries’ governments, as by the international community. So any bargains and speculations on people’s health don’t make reputation of the Belarusian authorities better in Europe, and thus don’t give new necessary for Belarus opportunities for normal relations with the European Union.”