Lukashenka makes cutlets of flies

Has the gas conflict between Russia and Belarus finished or not? Anyway, this comedy is sure to repeat regularly.

The truth about trenches has not helped: Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s memories about war against the Nazi together and about sitting in the trenches with Russian brothers have not squeezed out a tear from Dmirty Medvedev or Vladimir Putin, or Alexei Miller. In tow days gas deliveries were cut by 60%.

First Alyaksandr Lukashenka stated with certainty that Belarus owes nothing. Then he said that we need time to think it over, and if the state would acknowledge the debt existence, he would definitely find money to pay. And still later he said that there is a little debt in fact, but in comparison to what Russia owes to Belarus for gas transit it's a mere trifle. However, Alyaksandr Lukashenka had chosen Russian Foreign Minister as his confidant Sergei Lavrov for some reason. He revealed the secret of the mutual gas debt to him: “Gazprom owes $260 mln for transit, considering May. I have given instructions to the government to shut down the gas transit through Belarus until Gazprom paid. They have paid us nothing for half a year. They have gone so far, it is so cynical and absurd for them to cut down gas supplies when I owe them $190 million and they owe me $260 million!” It is very original to name all accusations against the leadership of Russia to its Foreign Minister. Lavrov seemed to resort to all his experience and self-possession for not to move a muscle in his face, and not a word to come out. Maybe Lukashenka provoked Lavrov on purpose – what could be more pleasing in the middle of the gas war to provoke Lavrov to a discussion about cynicism of Putin and Medvedev? Only an emergency visit of an influential European delegation with words of support. After such a number of advances by the European Union it seemed obvious. But on Tuesday after the meeting with journalists of “Novaya Gazeta” Chairman of the European parliament Jerzy Buzek said that the European Union won’t interfere in the bilateral conflict: ; grapple with that yourselves, just respect the European Energy Charter and the transit protocol.

Transit is the vulnerable spot at which Lukashenka hits in all gas disputes with Russia. And when gas deliveries were cut by 30%, he stated that he would shut down supplies to Europe On Tuesday evening Belarus sent Gazprom a notification that the Russian transit gas was started to be siphoned off for supporting the work of the gas transportation system, until Russia settles the debt fro transportation, $260 mln. This debt exists, Gazprom admitted. However, it was created artificially: money could be received by Belarus any minute, but Belarus must sign the act which it does not sign. No signature – no money.

It seems there is nothing difficult in that: to write a doodle on the paper, and get $260 million immediately. $192 out of them could be sent back immediately, extinguishing the indebtedness for gas deliveries immediately, and the conflict would be over. But there would me no material to make an image of an enemy then, which is almost ready now. Moreover, during the meeting with Lavrov Lukashenka shared with Lavrov his secret: he has money: “I have borrowed the money from my friends, and we are to give back the money soon”. In a minute however the version about the friends collapsed: “strangers have given us this money within one day, while Russia could not wait for two weeks”. But it does not matter: friends of the Belarusian leadership turn into strangers and vice versa very soon. Like the gas conflict, which essence was turned into political from economical one by the personal wish of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Last week the Belarusian side confidently called the ultimatum of Gazprom a purely economic conflict, but during the visit of Sergei Lavrov Lukashenka stated: “Then it is not a dispute of economic entities. I am sorry, when we are humiliated, by words about some cutlets, or sausages, butter or pancakes; we view that as a slur to the Belarusian nation. It is inappropriate to behave like that for a president, and for a president of an allied neighbouring state”.

We have heard about cutlets somewhere some time ago. 7 years ago, during the first gas war, Vladimir Putin said that Russia must separate cutlets from flies in the relations with Belarus. Alyaksandr Lukashenka was mortally insulted then. So now every time new rows start, any mentioning of cutlets is a mental returning to the first gas shutdown, which lasted just for one day, and a hope that tomorrow would come and there would be no Gazprom, and gas would flow just so, and there would be no need to pay for anything.