Tusk continues bargaining with Lukashenka

Western assitance to Belarus can even exceed $9bn if the country fulfills a set of conditions.

This statement was made by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on October 9.

Commenting to BelaPAN on Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s remark at his press conference on Octobers that 9 billion dollars promised to Belarus were “just a hoax”, Tusk said: “I am convinced that the aid to Belarus can exceed 9 billion dollars after our consultations with the majority of the world democratic leaders.” The Polish PM emphasized that the aid could be given only if Belarus fulfilled the conditions regarding respect for human rights, democratic liberties and free elections.

Donald Tusk, the leader of Civic Platform party, said after voting at a polling station in Warsaw at the parliamentary elections that he hoped “Belarus will see free and fair elections, as in Poland”.

Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, the country holding the EU presidency, said on September 30 at a press conference after the Eastern Partnership summit in Warsaw that the EU was ready to give Belarus up to 9 billion dollars to carry out reforms if certain conditions were fulfilled: release and rehabilitation of political prisoners, dialogue with the opposition and holding free election.

Lukashenka said at a press conference for Russian media on October 7 it was a “hoax”. “If they had promised I would have think they are mad. Who can give 9 billion?? Even if it is a loan, we will think it over. If the interest rate is 6-7%, this is unacceptable, if it is lower than 5%, no one is ready to give it. China issued a 2-2.5% loan, but this is a rare case,” he said.

According to him, it was “just a hoax. They mean that you, Belarusians, bow to Lukashenka and hold him here, but if you threw him away, we would give 9 billion.”