Sannikov on Channel One (Video)

The Russian authorities are going to maintain contacts with “political forces of Belarus representing the full range of public opinion”.

As Russian Channel One reports, Russian president’s video message containing harsh criticism of Alyaksandr Lukashenka was watched by many people in Belarus. This is how politologists comment on the situation:

Igor Bunin, politologist: “On the one hand, Lukashenka has given some obscure promises, almost the same way as Ahmadinejad does. He hasn’t fulfilled anything. But at the same time he was using gas, customs privileges, and big opportunities. Now, this has come to an end.”

As it was noticed, Lukashenka feels extremely jealous when Belarusian oppositional politicians, for example Stanislau Shushkevich, the former head of Belarus, appear on Russian TV channels.

Stanislau Shushkevich: “I’m glad that the President Medvedev’s statement was made in a calm and dignified tone. This was a slap in the face. There’s nothing like that before. I can’t bear the thought that Lukashenka will remain president after the election. Today, he maximal rating may only reach 30 percent.

The names of politicians and journalists who disappeared under Lukashenka’s rule are well-known to Belarusians.

Presidential aspirant Andrei Sannikov, the leader of European Belarus civil campaign: “The issue of disappeared and killed politicians, our friends, our colleagues is of great importance for us. Raising this theme by Mr Medvedev has a wide response here in Belarus, because this theme is very important for us, we handling it.”