Raman Jakauleuski: Only targeted sanctions can influence Lukashenka

A meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the Eastern Partnership countries is scheduled for 22 July in Brussels.

Now that visa restrictions have been lifted for him, Uladzimir Makej will be able to participate in the meeting. His presence in Brussels will be a proof of the European Union’s powerlessness and the work of Lukashenka’s lobbyists, an international observer Raman Jakauleuski believes.

He claimed that in an interview to Radio Racyja.

“They see that Brussels demonstrates powerlessness. This shows that it is Lukashenka who guides the process, not Brussels. Only targeted sanctions can influence Lukashenka. Only this instrument can be effective. But Brussels simply does not know what to do”, - Raman Jakauleuski said.

The political observer believes that Europe is stepping back from the sanctions policy, and the Belarusian party is constantly pushing forward its own line, according to which there are allegedly no political prisoners in Belarus, and parliament is comprised of people, elected by voters. It is not yet known whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus would go to Brussels on 22 July. They are studying this option at the MFA.

We would remind that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus has been recently temporarily excluded from the list of the persons, to whom the entrance to the European Union’s territory is forbidden. Such a decision was taken on 24 June at a session of the Council of ministers of foreign affairs of the EU in Luxembourg.