Tsikhanouskaya Spoke Out Against Economic Sanctions Towards Lukashenka's Regime

It is an odd statement.

Former presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche that "possible economic sanctions of Western countries against Belarus are inappropriate, as they may prove to be a heavy burden on the residents of the republic," kasparov.ru writes.

"I do not consider economic sanctions against Belarus necessary. For even if they allow to put pressure on the authorities, they will at the same time prove to be a heavy burden for the population," - she said.

At the same time, Tsikhanouskaya considers it necessary to impose the West sanctions against Belarusian officials for cases of violence by law enforcement officials.

Recently, Natallia Radzina, editor-in-chief of the Charter97.org website, stated that it is the economic sanctions that will make Lukashenka's regime capitulate.

"Apart from renewed sanctions against Belarusian officials responsible for repressions and political persecution, it is necessary:

- to impose economic sanctions, including the ban on export of Belarusian oil products, potash fertilizers and electricity;

- to stop any financial assistance to government bodies in Belarus;

- to terminate trade relations with Belarusian state-owned enterprises, especially enterprises where strike committees were destroyed and where workers who participated in strikes were prosecuted;

- to reduce and limit banking and financial transactions with government contractors to the maximum extent possible; and to ban loans from the International Monetary Fund, European Investment Bank, World Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

- to take measures for freezing negotiations with Belarus on issues of interest to the authorities.

The introduction of economic measures against the dictatorship will not affect the welfare of the Belarusian people, who today already suffer from poverty, absence of civil rights, repression and political persecution by the gang that has seized power. But it will be able to make the regime capitulate in a matter of weeks," - Natallia Radzina stated.