Euronews called Lukashenka the last dictator in Europe (Video)

Euronews English language service gave a harsh estimation of the fact of invitation of the Belarusian ruler for the EU summit.

English language and Russian language item on invitation of Lukashenka to Prague were traditionally different. For instance, Lukashenka was called “the last dictator in Europe” in the English version and “president of Belarus” in the Russian language version.

Here is the text of the news item on Euronews English version service:

“The last dictator in Europe” invited to EU summit (VIDEO)

The man America called “the last dictator in Europe” – the President of Belarus – has been invited to a European Union summit on partnership with ex-Soviet states in Prague. Alexander Lukashenko has long been shunned in the west, and until last year was the subject of an EU travel ban.

Western governments and human rights campaigners say that opposition is stifled in Belarus, and a free media is virtually non-existent. The invitation came from Karel Schwarzenberg, the foreign minister of the Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency.

The Czech president Vaclav Klaus said he was “surprised” by the move, adding that he would not shake Lukashenko’s hand, nor invite him to the presidential palace.

Here is the text of the news item offered by Euronews Russian language service.

Czech Republic invited president of Belarus to take part in EU summit

President of Belarus Alyaksandr Lukashenka was invited for the EU summit, scheduled for May 7 in Prague.

The Czech Republic, holding the EU presidency, is going to gather the EU leaders and heads of state of the six countries, included in the Eastern Partnership program. The program offers wider cooperation of the EU with Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

A positive movement has recently been noticed in Minsk-Brussels relations after a cooldown in 2006. The European Commission A opened representation office in Belarus last April, visa bans on Belarusian officials have been suspended.

The Czech president Vaclav Klaus said he was surprised with the fact the Belarusian president was invited to the summit. He refuses to accept the Belarusian leader in his presidential palace and have a meeting with him, Klaus’s spokesperson said.

Moscow welcomed the EU’s decision. “Russia has always told its EU partners sanctions against this Russia-friendly country are futureless,” an aide to the Russian president said.

P.S. By the way, our journalists watched Euronews in Russian and turned attention an item on invitation of Lukashenka to Prague was announced in the newscast, but wasn’t shown. Belarus probably decided not to show even this more loyal to the Belarusian authorises report.