Cold Shower For Lukashenka

How journalists showed the dictator his proper place.

After hand-shaking with the European politicians in Vienna, Lukashenka faced a cold shower from the local press, and restrained reaction of the Austrian business, Belsat reports.

There was no dialogue with the journalists. Instead of such, there were 4 brief questions of the state media. Lukashenka answered to them with the old mixture of inaccuracies and lies.

“As for human rights, I don’t get what you mean. We have a right to live, this is the main thing. The right to labour. We have free health care for all citizens. We have the right to education, free education. Is it developed so well in your country? Not even close!” the dictator was screaming.

Lukashenka’s assistants obviously did a bad job here, otherwise Lukashenka would know that both health care and education in Austria are free.

“Have you ever heard that the Internet was shut down or banned in Belarus? These reproaches have long sunk in the past. As for me, an authoritarian leader, read what the press has been writing about me recently - the representative of a democratic country, democratic press,” Lukashenka stated in Austria.

However, the mentioned democratic press was not given the floor in Vienna.

The Austrian journalists listened to Lukashenka attentively, but did not succumb to the lies. In the end, before all the mentions of Belarusian ruler’s visit to Austria, the audience was reminded that he was indeed an authoritarian leader, and most informational materials were devoted by their authors not to the economic accomplishments, but to the desperate situation with human rights in Belarus.

“He, probably, have lost the custom of paying visits to the Western countries, and does not fully realize he is speaking not to some kolkhoz men about the cows covered with shit, but to the Western press and politicians. The manner is the same though. Quite extraordinary statements for the Western press,” political observer Vital Tsyhankou comments.

By the evening of the second day of his stay in Austria, Lukashenka stopped hiding his irritation.

“The journalists, using some pre-revolution stereotypes, started hinting, like, if you don’t do this or that, we will not accept you to the Council of Europe - hah, as if we needed that!” the dictator nervously said.

Lukashenka wasn’t quite accurate with the business circles either.

“The goods turnover grew as a result of joint efforts. In the last two years it was +20%, while the turnover of services grew twofold. Positive dynamics has been observed this year, too,” the dictator stated.

People in the audience knew though, that the goods turnover decreased in the last five years, and in the last two years it remained unchanged. There is positive dynamics in the services trade, but investments, including direct ones, are also going down. However, no dialogue was envisaged here either, and Lukashenka continued telling amusing stories from his life.

“No, no, no, only not under American laws. So I told them - okay, let’s do it under Belarusian laws,” - the dictator said, trying to impress someone.

In general, Lukashenka’s visit to Austria reminded the arrival of some wedding general: much noise, little result.

“There is no government in Austria now. The party of Kurz, who won the election, is still negotiating on forming a coalition. The government de facto does not exist. This fact reflected on the visit,” Vital Tsyhankou commented on the “status” of the ruler’s visit to Austria.