Pofalla: The EU will adhere to tough sanctions against Lukashenka
26
17:00, — Politics
Any cooperation with the dictator strengthens his positions.
A person, who falsifies elections, throws any courageous critics of the regime into prison and tries to break them physically and mentally – this is how the respectable German politician, head of the Federal Chancellery and German Federal Minister for Special Assignments Ronald Pofalla sees Aliaxandar Lukashenka.
In his article, published in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine, Pofalla attacked the official Minsk with sharp criticism and rejected any cooperation with the "regime", which suppresses the free expression of political will in the country, arrests presidential candidates right on the day of voting, executes highly questionable death sentences.
Even Flash mobs were forbidden in the country, not to mention the independent population surveys, laments the author.
On September 23, 2012 “Parliamentary elections” will be held in Belarus, which, obviously, will take place in a familiar manner: the opposition will not be allowed to election committees, independent parties will be removed from participation under any pretext. For instance, just two weeks ago to two political parties were not allowed to participate in the elections. The leader of one of them, Mikalai Statkevich, is serving a prison sentence for political reasons, and another, Ales Mikhalevich, was forced to seek asylum in the EU, says German politician.
Pofalla emphasized that the dictatorship breaks the fates of the true patriots, such as the presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov and his wife Irina Khalip. Their "crime": they sought for greater democracy and freedom.
In these circumstances, any bilateral co-operation would only strengthen the position of the regime. And though critics fairly point out that Europe could lose Belarus for good – thanks to Aliaxandar Lukashenka the country surrendered much of its economic sovereignty in favor of Russia - the EU chooses the opposite path, said Ronald Pofalla.
In Germany and Brussels intend to continue to adhere to strict regime of sanctions against senior Belarusian officials in the form of visa restrictions, freezing of accounts and the weapons embargo - and, simultaneously, establish a dialogue with civil society, in order to ease contacts between the inhabitants of Belarus and the EU. Youth will get possibility to study at the Belarusian university in Lithuania or at other uninhibited universities in Europe.
"We do care about this country" - such was the promise, which, according to the German politician, European countries must convey to the Belarusians.
Write your comment (26)
News
on topic
- Mitt Romney condemns dictatorship in Belarus
- Lithuanian foreign ministry: Sanctions against Lukashenka do not affect Lithuanian business
Export
Новости партнеров
