Liavon Barshcheuski: Lukashenka Looks Back At Kremlin In Relations With Ukraine

The Belarusian dictator only imitates independence.

Public figure Liavon Barshcheuski told in an interview to Radio Racyja that politicians' words do not meet their actions.

During a recent meeting in Kiev, Lukashenka promised Peter Poroshenko to allow studying of the Ukrainian language in Belarus.

Meantime, after the meeting between Lukashenka and Poroshenko in December 2014, it was stated that "one of the results of the meeting was an agreement to include the Ukrainian TV channel in the Belarusian line-up." However, those agreements have remained on paper only. There is no Ukrainian TV channel in Belarus so far:

– It's always easy to talk idly, while to do something concrete is more difficult. And most importantly, the Belarusian authorities do not really care about this issue (the launch of Ukrainian television) and about the rights of Ukrainians. On the one hand, they are concerned not to anger Moscow, and on the other hand, they believe that the best thing is not doing anything. If they don't plan and don't establish a special institution that will deal with this problem, then everything will remain on paper. And the plans to study the Ukrainian language in Belarus may appear at the same stage at which the project to broadcast the Ukrainian television channel in our country is now. However, Lukashenka does not remember about it and does not talk about it. Three years have passed - new ideas have appeared.

– Would the broadcasting of the Ukrainian TV channel be a good thing?

– Of course, because quite a lot of people would watch it. Belarusians would have learned what is happening in Ukraine, not from Russian TV channels, but from primary sources. Although Russian propaganda has much greater potential, and one Ukrainian TV channel could not create a balance.