Joseph Stiglitz: It’s sad that dictatorial regime rules in Belarus

The internationally acclaimed scientist and Nobel Prize for Economics winner, Joseph Eugene Stiglitz, turns out to have Belarusian roots.

Natallia Radzina, the editor of charter97.org website, met with Joseph E. Stiglitz in New York ahead of the awards ceremony of the Committee to Protect Journalists. The Nobel Prize winner and professor at Columbia University said his grandfather came from Belarus and expressed his concern about the political situation in the country.

“It is a very sad fact that the dictatorship, the state ruled by dictator’s regime still exists in Europe. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, there was a hope the former Soviet Union region would become democratic.

I must admit we are very concerned at the fact that democracy has not been established in many countries of the former Soviet Union.

It’s very sad for a man who has Belarusian roots, whose ancestors came from this country.

All sensible people around the world have deep respect for everyone standing up for their rights and having no fear of dictatorship. We hope people in Belarusian prisons will soon be released,” Stiglitz said.