Simply in great need of money

Squeezed by economic crisis, Alyaksandr Lukashenka offers to hold a “round table”, but does not intend to free prisoners of conscience.

“As the head of state, I offer all sober-minded people and patriots, whatever political camp they belong, to gather for a round table discussion, look into one another's eyes and give the real estimation of the ways to improve the situation in the country,” Alyaksandr Lukashenka said on Monday at a meeting of Belarusian pedagogues.

“If you want to fight and struggle, you are welcome to struggle in an open discussion, prove your opinions and defend your views. But not by means of riots or with weapons in your hands. Such actions will be stopped immediately,” he underlined.

Lukashenka forgot to mention that the Belarusian opposition has not have access to television for the last 17 years, there are no independent radio stations in the country and most of independent newspapers have been closed. An open discussion is impossible in these conditions. Moreover, there was no “riot” with “weapons in hands” on December 19 in Minsk. It was a peaceful protest demonstration against the rigged election results. As a result of a provocation, organized by the secret services, over 1,000 people were thrown behind bars, tens of opposition leaders and activists, including presidential candidates Andrei Sannikov, Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Uss, were imprisoned.

Such “dialogues” started in Belarus several times, but, as a rule, it was just a picture for the West. There has not been s single real dialogue between the authorities and the opposition. As a rule, loyal politicians calling themselves oppositionists were invited to hold discussions with Lukashenka's officials. This never brought any results – democratic reforms have not been carried out in the country.

A dialogue is possible today only if political prisoners, namely presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, Lukashenka's main opponent sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment, is invited to a round table discussion.