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Zmitser Bandarenka: Britain Remains Part Of West And European Civilisation

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Zmitser Bandarenka: Britain Remains Part Of West And European Civilisation
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Despite the results of the referendum, the Great Britain is to be closely linked knit with the EU, the US and NATO.

It was said by a coordinator of the civil campaign European Belarus Zmitser Bandarenka in an interview to charter97.org, as he commented on the results of the Brexit, the referendum in the Great Britain, at which the majority of the country’s population voted to leave the European Union.

– How could you comment on the results of the referendum in Britain?

– Whatever happened, has happened. Personally, I wanted Britain to stay in the EU, but British citizens have decided in a different way. And the entire Europe should regard the opinion of the nation.

Undoubtedly, in the first place people were opposed to the policy of their authorities: it is a reaction to the fact that over the past 20 years there had been just a huge influx of immigrants to the Great Britain.

The stability of the British currency and the high exchange rate also promoted that. For example, we know that almost a million of Poles are living and working in the Great Britain. Recently hundreds thousands Bulgarians and Romanians, who have received an opportunity to work there, flooded to the islands as well.

But it was not Brussels who determined migration policy. Britain is not a member of the Schengen area, and its authorities were able to pursue a more independent policy in this issue. By this referendum a part of British politicians, especially the Conservatives, tried to draw attention away from themselves.

On the other hand, nothing awful has happened, as from the start Britain was in the EU pursuant to a special agreement. The Great Britain won’t cease to be a part of the European civilization, a part of the common European economy, and will have a special agreement with the EU, while being outside of it.

For example, we know Norway is NATO member, but is not a member of the EU, and is a Schengen agreement member. Switzerland is also a member of the Schengen agreement, not being a EU member.

It is known that Norway pays special fees for the sake of preferences in the EU market. There is an opinion that like Norway, Britain is to pay certain fees to the EU budget, but by 8.5% less than now. In fact, the economic “price” of Brexit is these 8.5%.

– How Britain’s leaving is to influence the EU in general, and its policy of sanctions against Russia in particular?

– Britain still remains a NATO member. It could be said that today the West consists of three parts geopolitically: the US, the EU and Japan. We know that very close relations exist between the US and the EU. Despite different approaches to some issues, the US and the UE have always been coordinating their foreign policy lines, including the ones toward Russia.

Talks on creation of a free trade zone between the US and the EU are underway. Until this day this decision involved Britain. In case it is realized, Britain is to be a member of the free trade zone separate from the EU, but nevertheless it means a very close coordination between the US, EU and the Great Britain. The Western world means common civilizational roots, and close economic interdependence.

As before, the policy of the West is to be coordinated both in the framework of the G7 and NATO.

– Will Britain’s leaving make it possible for Eurosceptics to claim their rise?

– Undoubtedly, there would be statements of Eurosceptics and nationalists in many European countries. Now people are saying about the time of “national egoism” in the EU. On the other hand, Europe is a democracy, and with its many drawbacks, a democracy is a self-adjusting mechanism.

The only danger is that the EU had really made mistakes in conducting of its migration policy. I wouldn’t say it had been totally wrong, but both national governments of European countries and Brussels have shown poor judgment.

It is the main reason which triggers growth of nationalist sentiments in different parts of Europe. Multiculturalism and changing life styles in some European societies have caused protests in Britain, and it could repeat in other countries.

But it should be noted that mostly the older generation voted against the EU in Britain. They cannot adapt to the changes of the traditional lifestyle. Like our pensioners who were nostalgic about the Soviet Union, British senior citizens have been voting for Merrie England now.

But it is impossible to return to that situation: now Britain is not a global empire, but part of the population still has these phantom visions of their “empire greatness.”

I can predict that in a short-term perspective part of people in Britain are to understand that the referendum was a wrong decision. And it would not become a positive example for populists in Europe.

A population problem of entire Europe, including Britain, is behind the results of the referendum. As in order to maintain today’s standards, for British and European pensioners to have high living standards – that’s exactly why their governments have been pursuing the “open-door policy” for foreign workers.

To my mind, “the golden mean” is to be found here. All EU countries need foreign workers, they create wealth of these states. But on the other hand, multiculturalism causes protest of the native population, and creates a breeding ground for European populists.

– What impact is Britain’s leaving to have on Belarus?

– Belarus should reflect on the root cause of this problem. But we have not even approached solution of the population problem. While there more than 2.5 employed persons per one pensioner in Britain, there are about 2 or even less in Belarus.

We should understand that our older generation is simply doomed to the lowest pension benefits in Europe.

Secondly, Belarus needs to join the European Union and have the closest economic relations with it. Technologic re-equipment and modernization of the economy and population could be carried out only with the help of the EU and with being its member.

And the referendum itself is to influence only as the global economic situation could deteriorate, and oil prices could drop. It means that Russian donations for Belarus are to dwindle. Belarus is to stay in the phase of stagnation, but it is related to its home policy and counting on the backward Eurasian Union. And the influence of British events is to be minimal, through a fall in oil prices only.

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