Yet Another Isolation Of Belarusian Regime Is Possible

At that, the popular protests are ready to break out with renewed vigor.

Recent repressions in Belarus have already caused great disappointment of the West, which started a cautious dialogue with the official Minsk after the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Now this dialogue is put in jeopardy, the Ukrainian editorial staff of Radio Liberty writes.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has already stated that, if there are new political prisoners, the EU will once again introduce financial and visa sanctions against the Belarusian authorities, which were lifted two years ago.

According to Belarusian politician Vintsuk Viachorka, the authorities’ attempts to suppress protests will only raise the level of unpredictability of the progression of events.

"When the authorities believe that they have stopped the wave of protests, it's a mistake, as it's just been driven underground. And this anger, which we saw during the rallies, will manifest itself later," – the politician says.

The wave of protests has been stopped for the near future, but later, perhaps even this year, it can recover, because the grounds for the protests remain, the politician believes.

He draws attention to the similarity of the latest repressive measures in Minsk and Moscow, and it will contribute to the growing rapport between Putin and Lukashenka’s regimes, because the Kremlin wants to see Belarus weak and isolated.

The discontentment with Lukashenka remains in Belarus, it increases with the growth of unemployment and impoverishment. The decree on the tax for the unemployed pushed the protests in Minsk and in the regions, the people, who used to vote for Lukashenka, took to the streets. The subsidies from Russia are winding down, the economic crisis is undermining stability.