Cost of life of Belarusian political prisoners announced

Lithuanian and Latvian politicians have faced unprecedented pressure in connection with a possibility of imposing economic sanctions on the Lukashenka regime.

As charter97.org learned from competent sources, Lithuanian businessmen declared a war against politicians standing for imposing sanctions on Belarus.

Businessmen scare politicians with figures: according to them, Lithuania will lose 7bn lits a year (2.026bn euros) if sanctions are introduced. Lobbyists think sanctions endanger the yearly trade turnover between Lithuania and Belarus (5bn lits or 1.447bn euros), including Belarusian transit via Klaipeda and work of Lithuanian companies in Belarus.

So, taking into account 16 political prisoners in Belarusian prisons, the life of one prisoner of conscience is estimated by the Lithuania business at a sum from 90 to 126 million euros.

Even more, five members of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs at the Lithuanian Seimas were already reported to have released a statement opposing the introduction of economic sanctions against Belarus. MPs Justinas Karosas, Vytenis Andriukaitis, Dailis Barakauskas, Michal Mackevic and Andrius Sedzius think “political tools of all EU countries should be used against the demonstrations of authoritarianism in Belarus”.

As charter97.org learned from the sources, at least three of the above mentioned MPs have own business in Belarus. Speaking against sanctions against the Belarusian dictatorship these politicians lobby their own business interests.

If sanctions are imposed (however, any wide scale sanctions have not even been discussed), they will not make irreparable damage to Lithuania taking into account the real or overrated sum of the estimated loss, the sources say. The trade with Belarus makes up about 10% of Lithuania's budget, so nothing endangers the honest business. It is unprincipled businessmen ready to trade with lives of political prisoners and Belarusian people for the sake of excess profit who will suffer losses.

It should be stressed that the EU is expected to slap targeted economic sanctions on Lukashenka's oligarchs in the nearest time. So, threatening politicians with huge losses, businessmen are telling blatant lies and defending their interests in cooperation with “purses” of the dictator.

Simultaneously with Lithuanian businessmen, a parliamentary working group on cooperation with the Belarusian “parliament” raise doubts if economic sanctions against Belarus can be an effective method to deal with political tension in the country. The cost of lives of political prisoners here – oil and potash transit via Ventspils – private business of pro-Lukashenka oligarch Yury Czyzh (Yuri Czizh).

Slovenia turns out to be not the only EU country placing business above human rights and lobbying political decisions. Our sources report besides Slovenia, France was found to be involved in the dirty story of Kempinski Hotel construction in Minsk. French businessmen signed contracts to build the hotel, so it cannot be ruled out that France will also stand up against imposing economic sanctions on the Lukashenka regime.

In general terms, there's a disappointing impression that if the EU does not demonstrate its political will now, any small European businessman owing a booth in Hlybokaye or other small town will be able to make his country refrain from effective measures against the last dictatorship of Europe, where Lukashenka's junta continues to hold on power by force and where political prisoners are being tortured in prisons.

All we can do is to hope European politicians are able to oppose the pressure of their not very principled business and show the world Europe is really united and ready to uphold principles of freedom and democracy.

Natallia Radzina, editor of charter97.org