Anatol Lyabedzka: “Sweden doesn’t sell with”

Opposition leaders and representatives of the Belarusian civil society had a meeting with the head of the EU foreign policy.

The Belarusian democrats were invited for a two-day working trip to Stockholm by Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt. Website ucpb.org spoke with Anatol Lyabedzka, chairman of the National UDF Committee and leader of the United Civil Party, about the results of the visit to Sweden.

– Why was the visit to Sweden necessary?

– Invitation to Stockholm was a personal initiative of Carl Bildt, holding the EU presidency. This proves that the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus remain a strategic partner for the European Union. It is logical in this situation that the partners have a dialogue, exchange their opinions, and discuss prospects for cooperation.

– It should be noticed that wile Bildt meets with the Belarusian opposition, the Lithuanian leadership have talks with Lukashenka. Can it be so that your visit to Stockholm was exchanged for opening the doors to the European Union for the Belarusian ruler?

– It’s shouldn’t be excluded, but we must remember that Alyaksandr Kazulin, paval Sevyarynets, and I had meetings with the Lithuanian PM, foreign minister and speaker of the parliament some days before Lukashenka’s visit. I think were influenced the items of the agenda for the forthcoming meetings with the Belarusian ruler.

– What opinions did you express in Sweden? Did you represent a common position, taking into account the fact the delegation consisted of so different people?

– You are right, eight people are eight potential opinions. But we have similar view. Our message is rather short – loans and investments in exchange for free elections and moratoriums on political repressions.

– Was it the common opinion?

– Yes. Its advantage is that it reflects both common and group interest. Free elections are impossible without free press – Zhanna Litvina, a representative of the journalist community can’t but support this. Free elections are impossible without registration of potential candidates. It lies in the sphere of interests of the organizing committees of the parties led by Paval Sevyarynets and Uladzimir Navasyad. Free elections are incompatible with political prisoners. Alyaksandr Kazulin and Artur Finkevich were the best persons to express this.

– How did the Swedish politicians react to your message?

– Carl Bildt said that both economic and political criteria should be taken into account when granting loans to Belarus. This is a very important statement. Besides Carl Bildt, we met with Gunilla Carlsson, the Minister for Development Cooperation, Cecilia Malmstroem, the European Affairs Minister, and members of the Riksdag.

– Were any concrete suggestions and initiatives made during the meetings?

– We discussed a range of concrete suggestions, in particular, a position of a EU special rapporteur on Belarus, creation of joint expert and working groups within the frames of the Eastern Partnership programme, holding a special conference on Belarus when Spain will take the EU presidency.

– Do you think a conference is able to solve Belarusian problems?

– This initiative has two aims: establish contacts with Spain and staring areal negotiations between the authorities and opposition through intermediary of the EU.

Let’s look ahead. Spain takes the EU presidency in three months. It is clear that Madrid is not interested in Belarus. In this situation, a joint Sweden–Poland initiative to hold an international conference is a good opportunity to present the Belarusian problems to Spain. We can’t solve this on our own, but this project looks realistic if Sweden supports it. Minister Cecilia Malmstroem is to meet and discuss this initiative with her Spanish colleague. Fulfilment of this project may start a real negotiation process that we don’t have in the country and between Minsk and Brussels.

– What are the chances of introducing a position of a EU special rapporteur on Belarus?

– This is an uneasy task but those who support changes in Belarus are interested in this. One can’t hope for a result if there is not systematic work, strategy and a plan of actions. The European Union has a new president every six months, so new people work with Belarus. It is difficult to work systematically in this situation. So, we need a person in Brussels who would work with Belarus and take responsibility for results. Figuratively speaking, we need a phone that could work 356 days a year, not only during visits to the EU countries.

– May the second Schmidt appear in this situation?

– It happens so that a shell can fall on the same spot. But it is also obvious that a double is unlikely to appear because Brussels doesn’t need to obey to the Red House. They don’t need to agree upon a candidature of a special rapporteur with the Belarusian authorities.

– Sweden reacted to a dispersal of people who had gathered on the square on the tenth anniversary of kidnapping of Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski. Did you have a discussion over this?

– To credit of Sweden and personally Carl Bildt, the reaction was fast and adequate. We didn’t need to persuade anyone. Europe has two clear tendencies on building relations with official Minsk. One of them is based on values, the other one is grounded on economic pragmatism. Sweden is the country that doesn’t sell values.