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Natallia Radzina: Government Is Lack of Brains to Negotiate with the Opposition

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Natallia Radzina: Government Is Lack of Brains to Negotiate with the Opposition

Crisis in Russia paves the way of opportunities for Belarus.

On March 28 Natallia Radzina, editor-in-chief of charter97.org, stated that during online-conference with Kyiv Glavkom information agency.

Viktor Ivanovich: Ms. Natallia, how do the Belarusians see their future: an independent Belarus, a part of the EU, or roughly in the Eurasian Union with the center in Moscow, or as a part of Baltic and Black sea union with Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania? Does it make any sense? Is this issue developed and considered?

- Most of the Belarusians see their future in the European Union. The Eurasian one is the union of dictators, not nations, thus the Kremlin considers the union an intermediate phase to a complete recovery of the Russian empire. In the EU Belarus will, of course, have closer ties with Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine.

Surveys on geopolitical vector of country's development were conducted by Vardamatski sociological laboratory and the Independent Institute of Socio-economic and Political Studies. Even in the dictatorship 30-60% of Belarusians supported the accession to the EU.

Hunta Tsaytung: Natallia, are any elections possible while dictatorship?

- No, it is impossible. - It has not been possible for 20 years, so nothing has changed. My friends who used to be imprisoned say it was possible to hold more democratic elections in prison.

Decommunizator: Is demolition of Lenin monuments possible in Belarus? Is it necessary?

- Yes, it is possible. We do not need them as well. I guess changes in Belarus will be of revolutionary nature, the government suffers lack of brains to negotiate with opposition. Lukashenka is trembling for his life and stolen property.

Partisan: What do you think about lifting sanctions on Belarus? Is it worth it? What does really stand for it?

- Both West and East are interested in Lukashenka's Belarus, so-called illegal "habe", according to Ukrainian analyst Olexandr Titarchuk. Belarusian oil products made of Sechin's oil are delivered to Ukraine and Holland; Polish apples turn into Belarusian ones, and Moscow residents have appreciated the taste of Belarusian shrimps, salmon and lobsters.

Lidia Ivanovna: Natallia, how do you feel abroad? Do you miss your homeland? What do you do in Poland?

- I work in Poland. Charter97.org functions due to assistance of the Polish government in Poland, I would likely be imprisoned in Belarus.

There were 4 criminal cases initiated against me in Belarus. I remember how people in masks smashed in our Minsk office, had me and other journalists beaten up and took away all equipment. Today I'm glad to work and live freely. It is a true happiness. There is neither censorship nor self-censorship that is inevitable in Belarus. Therefore, the audience of the site has increased fourfold during its activity in Poland.

I, of course, miss my homeland and I will come back at the earliest opportunity.

Kyiv: Hello. Could you tell why the government of Belarus is so afraid of citizens who provide assistance to Ukraine in its fight for territorial integrity? 135 criminal cases have already been initiated... How can they be considered extremists or radicals? Thank you for your answer.

- There are some Belarusians who wage a war on the side of the Russian hybrid army. But most of cases are initiated against volunteers who fight for independence and freedom of Ukraine.

Lukashenka's regime has supported annexation of the Crimea during the voting in the UN. He is afraid of attempts of the nation to gain freedom and independence. Those who are at war are movers and shakers, he is afraid of their return.

Oleg: Good morning. Freedom Day has recently been celebrated in Belarus. What does it mean to you?

- It is the main Belarusian holiday. Proclamation of the Belarusian People's Republic made it possible for us to live in a sovereign country. I'd like to mention that the government of the BPR in Belarus, and then abroad promoted its activity due to a substantial loan of the Ukrainian People's Republic. So such investment allowed Ukraine to have now an independent state, albeit partially free, in the north, but not a province of a hostile Russia.

I think that the current Ukrainian government lacks of strategic wisdom. Lukashenka's regime is not the guarantor of the Belarusian independence, but national democratic forces of Belarus.

Foxy father: Natallia, who has gained more profit from the Minsk accords, according to you: Putin, Poroshenko, Lukashenka?

- I think it was Putin. Lukashenka was just a puppet. Due to Minsk accords Russia along with the Belarusian dictator came out from the international isolation. Putin got legalization for separatists.

It is noteworthy that these accords made a relative cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine possible.

Valery: How much does the Kremlin affect your homeland? Thank you.

- The regime has existed at the expense of Russia for 20 years. It is the regime financed by Putin, who has always tried to destroy the entire Belarusian nationality - language, history, culture, education.

Today Belarus is in fact a military base of Russia for possible aggression against Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.

Helen: Hello! How long will Lukashenka be a ruler???? Are Belarusians satisfied with it?

- Belarusians differ. The regime in Belarus is tougher than that in Ukraine in times of Kuchma and Yanukovich. For instance, the number of policemen per 100 000 citizens in Belarus is sevenfold more than it was in the USSR. To say nothing of numerous special services. However, the oligarchy in Ukraine did not allow creation of the regime Lukashenka has done.

We are amazed by courage of Ukrainians who took the Maidan in 2004, 2013-2014. The Belarusians had their own Squares with 50-80 thousand of people involved, but they were cruely dispersed at the very beginning. But we want to be free as well.

Alexander: Natallia, what do you think about your attempts to enforce views to majority?! Living in exile, do you support the slogan of Ukraine "suitcase then station" for those who do not agree with the policy and the situation in the country?

- Ok, here comes the KGB...

An indifferent one: How is it possible to wake up Belarus? What is going on with the opposition? Who does support it in the country? What countries do support the opposition movement? What is the current situation?

- If there were free elections in Belarus, the opposition would win. And it happened because the opposition was better than the regime. The Belarusian opposition has been fighting for 20 years, it would not be possible, if there were no assistance on the part of ordinary people. The democratic world provides some assistance to independent media and the civil society.

Despite the cost of the political process in Ukraine, you have the fifth President (or even the sixth with Turchynov). We have a pro-Russian Lukashenka, who was elected, like Hitler, democratically and seized the power in 1994. He did not hesitate to murder opposition leaders. Unfortunately, neither our neighbors nor the West had a serious reaction to that. Putin has copied the Lukashenka's model.

But Russia now is in an extremely hard situation: fall in oil prices, as it used to be whilst the demise of the USSR and it makes up the way for Belarusian opportunity.

Olga: Natallia, you often call a spade a spade, for instance, you call the president a dictator. Are you not afraid?

- What should I say? No elections have been recognized free and democratic since 1996. The person has seized the power and retains it with the use of arms. How should I call him?

Ukrainians teach me how to be brave. Sometimes you have suffered even more.

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