Shushkevich: Lukashenka Will Have To Allow Deployment Of Russian Military Base In Belarus

According to the Constitution it’s prohibited to deploy the airbase on the territory of the country, but Lukashenka has already violated the provisions of the Constitution many times before.

Commenting on the recent meetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Uladzimir Makei and the ruler Lukashenka, the first leader of independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich said that the head of state would have to agree to the deployment of the Russian military base, despite the fact that he had previously rejected the possibility of deployment of such base.

“I think, there won’t be any issue other than the issue on the military bases as a counteraction to the Romanian or Polish versions. Lukashenka has started to defy, this is some kind of a light Fronde. It will be exactly the way the Russia dictates him. I think that Lavrov came to say: “Don’t footle around, the bases should be deployed, you told you would protect us against NATO”, – Stanislau Shuskevich said to RFI. – According to our Constitution, it is prohibited to deploy any military bases on the territory of the country. The Constitution provides for the pursuit of neutrality, although it is not a very clear juridical term. In any case, it is obvious that if the base is deployed, it has no connection to the neutrality. Lukashenka has already violated the Constitution before and the Russia is well aware of this, it will force him to do it once again.”

The expert believes that Lukashenka will go for it because he is not going to keep his position without the support of Russia.

“I don’t know in what way Russia tries to push him, but it has many levers of pressure. You know, to cut off the pipe – this is strangling, as Russia is the only surce of oil and gas. Russia has its own trump cards, which it can use to press on Lukashenka. According to Russia, he has began to defy too freely. I think, Lavrov will put him back into place ", – Shushkevich added.