Viktar Ivashkevich: Lukashenka has run out of friends

After the funeral of Hugo Chavez Belarusian officials will explore the political landscape and the possibility of further economic cooperation.

One of the coordinators of the European Belarus civic campaign Viktar Ivashkevich stated that when making a comment for the charter97.org web-site on the participation of Viktar Sheiman and Uladzimir Siamashka in the mourning events in Caracas.

“In my opinion, one should not count on serious economic support from Venezuela. If there were previously talks of close cooperation up to oil shipments to the harbor in Klaipeda, then everyone has forgotten that now, having understood the hopeless character of such ideas”, - the politician noted.

He also emphasized that the main financial subsidies come to Belarus from Russia and Europe.

“In the couple recent years the financial assistance of Venezuela that it provided to its brotherly nation accounted for 1% of the total amount of the loans that Belarus received. Thus one should not count on anything serious. They have other problems and worries there now.

Nevertheless, Sheiman and Siamashka will try to acquire information on who will take Chavez’s position and what benefit can be taken out of it. Lukashenka has run out of friends. In the situation, when the Belarusian dictator’s last business partner has withdrawn the race, he needs to find a new one very fast. As they say: nothing personal, just business”, - Viktar Ivashkevich concluded.

We would remind that Lukashenka commissioned an official delegation to Caracas to participate in the mourning events on the death of Hugo Chavez.

The delegation consists of Lukashenka’s executive office, co-chairman of the Belarusian-Venezuelan high level commission Viktar Sheiman and the first deputy of the Prime Minister, co-chairman of the Belarusian-Venezuelan joint commission for trade and economic cooperation Uladzimir Siamashka.