Hotel or life

It is very good that Slovenia has blocked the EU decision on sanctions.

The case of Yury Chyzh, as well as the situation with Byalyatski, have clearly and grotesquely demonstrated hypocrisy and helplessness of the EU policy against Lukashenka’s regime.

The dictator has been ruling Belarus for 18 years. He have been murdering, abducting people, continuing crackdown on the opposition, exerting pressure and destroying rights and freedoms of citizens. In response all we have on the part of Europe is: statements of protest, in reply to which the Belarusian Foreign Ministry excusing itself habitually and sluggishly; and the black list, which is sometimes cancelled and then imposed again.

Does it really strongly affect officials, judges and prosecutors? Maybe morally. It is not pleasant to deny a trip to Europe to one’s wife explaining that all people are scoundrels there, and they do not want to understand that you are performing a state duty. Despite everything, you would be frowned upon, and perceive as a executioner of your own nation, and a pariah for civilized states. As for those who have higher ranks, like Kulyashou, they are sure to reach their destination all the same, due to international organizations, who are also trying to shun from politics hypocritically.

But who these seemingly symbolic sanctions can affect successfully, are businessmen, who have snugged around Lukashenka’s feeding trough, and in European granaries, doing business there and feeding up Lukashenka and his clique here.

They really fear visa sanctions, and do not spare efforts or money in order to create their lobby in Europe. And this lobby is working: from some unprincipled European businessmen who share their profits with officials of their governments, and to small offices like “the Office for Democratic Belarus” headed by Volha Stuzhynskaya, and a pair of politically committed political analysts of local, Belarusian, level.

The lobby of Slovenia has worked out. “Riko” company, which had concluded a profitable contract with oligarch Chyzh, has managed to influence adoption of the decision of the entire country. And as diplomatic circles inform, it has happened not only because this contract is extremely profitable for the economy of the small country, but also because officials of Slovenia’s government have connections with this company,

Nothing else is needed to be written. The picture is clear. One country spits upon rights and freedoms of 9.5 million Belarusians, and at the same time at the European Union with all its principles, because of its economic benefits.

The same with the economic sanctions. Who are those shouting louder than others when imposing embargo on oil products deliveries and potash fertilizers from Belarus are mentioned, and who are urging “not to undermine the well-being of the Belarusian nation”? they are our neighbours, as transit of Belarusian oil and potash fertilizers is done through their countries. Other members of the EU also have shady business interests in Belarus.

The given situation with Slovenia has shocked the entire Europe. European ministers and prominent mass media have started to say openly that business interests had become more important than human rights. And it is really a big problem for the EU: why its members are trading principles on which the EU had been based actually. If the EU would have political will to solve this problem, no hotel would ever cost more than lives of political prisoners.

Natallia Radina, charter97.org editor-in-chief