Zisser: EU sanctions against Belarusian companies are outrage

The owner of TUT.by portal voiced support for Lukashneka's bankers – Vladmir Peftiev and Yury Chyzh (Yuri Chizh).

“The EU sanctions against Belarusian companies are not less arbitrary as attacks of the Belarusian authorities on undesirable businesses or media. If Peftiev (and Chyzh in case his companies are put on the blacklist) applies to the court against the European Commission, he will win easily, because it's obvious the European Commission has no evidence to prove involvement of their firms in financing the 'regime'. If they existed, it would be known long ago, Zisser writes on his blog. “Any Belarusian firm and citizen (including myself and my firms) finance the 'regime', because we all pay taxes. The taxes I pay are much higher than those paid by most Belarusians (though they are low in comparison with the taxes paid by big businessmen), so I back the 'regime' more than others. The higher tax payments, the more help the 'regime' gets. Following this logic, all tax payers in Belarus should be added to the EU blacklist for financing the 'regime'. Therefore, the only opportunity to get rid of a 'supporter of the regime' mark is emigration.”

However, Zisser continues, “Any adult Belarusian knows perfectly the real source of financing the 'regime' lies 600 kilometres from Minsk. But the EU will not impose sanctions on it. On the contrary, they are best friends, because Europe needs cheap gas, cheaper than for Ukraine for sure. It was a promise recently to establish a visa-free regime between the EU and Russia! No sanctions. I would say it is 'doubly standards', if this expression were not worn-out and were used only as intended.”

The TUT.by owner asks in the postscript not to regard his post as an attempt to defend certain businesses: “I have never dealt with companies of Peftiev or Chyzh, I have never used their services and I am not acquainted with founders. Neither them nor their representatives contacted me asking to defend them. I am sure they are well prepared for sanctions and do not need my or someone else's help. That's why they are keeping silence. But the way things are going, the whole country will be put on the EU blacklist.”