Milinkevich: It's time to stop destructive talks about sanctions

Aliaksandr Milinkevich, the leader of the Movement for Freedom, comments on his speech in the European Parliament.

His remarks were severely criticised by Belarusian opposition members.

“I stopped worrying about what people wrote on the internet long ago. The confrontation among politicians is harsher than the confrontation with the dictatorship,” he said to BelaPAN news agency. “I really spoke that I didn't see other positive alternatives to the dialogue, because sanctions, to be honest, these are not sanctions, but isolation of Belarus, come to no good: political prisoners have not been freed, fear has increased, influence of the opposition has decreased and pro-European moods have declined.”

Besides, tougher economic sanctions that some opposition representatives want to be imposed by the EU “would push Belarus to Russia”, Milinkevich thinks. “They are constantly repeating that the Netherlands should stop buying Belarusian petrol. If this happens, Russian will buy it and we will lose of our sovereignty and independence,” the politician thinks.

He is confident that Belarus and the EU need a critical and defined dialogue. “We need a step-by-step roadmap. Each party sets its obligations: democratisation and modernisation for Belarus, and assistance in carrying out reforms for Europe,” Milinkevich explains. “Each party knows that if it doesn't make a step, the other party will stop too. I understand that words are easier than actions, but we know examples from history when such approaches worked. I think we need to move in this direction if we want to live in an independent country.”

Milinkevich also noted: “If one is guided only by revenge against Lukashenka or helps Russia, intentionally or unintentionally, to annex Belarus, they urge to impose sanctions. I think these talks must be stopped as they are destructive for Belarus.”

He stressed that political prisoners were not forgotten. “The EU doesn't have intentions to start a dialogue unless political prisoners are freed,” Milinkevich said. “The dialogue is possible only after all political prisoners are released. Cooperation will begin if the political prisoners are freed. No other ways.”

The conference to discuss the European Dialogue on Modernisation was held in the European Parliament on April 9. Milinkevich said he didn't see alternatives to the EU-Belarus dialogue and sanctions were fruitless. His remarks were severely criticised.

Freedom House president David Kramer said the USA and the EU still had means of putting pressure on the Belarusian authorities.

Lukashenka’s regime keeps on selling weapons to pariah states and violating fundamental legal principles of a democratic state. Economic restrictions should be slapped on big Belarusian companies, in particular Belaruskali, to make the Belarusian authorities release the remaining political prisoners and carry out democratic changes in the country, Kramer thinks.