Belarusian dictatorship wants money from the EBRD

Belarusian MFA displeased "politicization" of the cooperation between Belarus and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Belarus opposes the politicization of the country's relations with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This was stated by spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Belarus Andrei Savinykh on May 17. According to him, Belarus has been actively cooperating with the EBRD in private sector development and implementation of projects on environmental protection and improvement of environmental standards.

"We are pleased with the interaction with the bank and plans to develop it on agreed terms," he said.

At the same time he made several attempts against leaders "of the non-economic sphere to politicize the international economic cooperation." "We are against this. Such attempts run counter to the common sense. In fact, these leaders are trying to determine what is more important - the development of liberal political institutions or infrastructure of the market economy? This approach is not only absurd, but also harmful, because it is contrary to the natural forward movement in the direction they supposedly stand up for," said the spokesman.

Andrei Savinykh also said that the Belarusian delegation, headed by First Vice Premier Vladimir Semashko, would attend the 21st meeting of the Board of Governors on May 18-19. The Belarusian delegation will meet with the leadership of the Bank and other international financial institutions and businesses of Great Britain. Besides, there will be some presentation at the meeting called "Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus: the investment opportunities of the Common Economic Space."

Experts from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development predict strengthening of the crisis in Belarus through trade and financial ties with the euro zone countries. The EBRD also accuses the Belarusian authorities of the abuse of administrative methods of management in the fx and consumer markets, which can only intensify the crisis in the country.