Adam Rotfeld: Lukashenka just fears he can lose power

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland thinks repressions against the Belarusian Poles should be viewed in the context of human rights violations in Belarus.

Adam Daniel Rotfeld, the co-chairman of the Polish-Russian commission on difficult issues, former foreign minister of Poland, met in Warsaw on May 26 with journalists from Eastern Partnership member states, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. The website charter97.org was among representatives of Belarus.

Answering a question about difficult issues in Polish-Belarusian relations the politician said:

“Many people think the main problem between Poland and Belarus is that the Belarusian authorities refuse to recognize legitimate the Union of Poles led by Andzelika Borys. This is not true. The regime of Lukashenka doesn’t have anti-Polish sentiments. Lukashenka simply realizes that if he gives freedom to the Union of Poles he will have to give freedom to other democratic organizations in the country. He doesn’t want to do this, because he fears he can lose his power if he carries out democratic reforms. As any authoritarian ruler he thinks only his form of government is right. Hugo Chavez belongs to this type, too. So, problems of the Belarusian Poles shouldn’t be regarded separately. The problem is in the general situation with human right and democracy in Belarus,” Adam Rotfeld said.