The Belarusian Security Services Have Opportunity To Take Cover Behind Ukrainian-Russian Conflict

Journalist Pavel Sheremet’s murder must give the West food for thought.

Coordinator of the civil campaign European Belarus Zmitser Bandarenka said that in his interview to Polish Radio.

– What kind of person and what kind of journalist was Pavel Sheremet?

– I’ve known Pavel Sheremet since 1995. I was the independent Radio 101.2 commercial director. In the early 1990s the media in Belarus were different from what they are today. At that time Pavel Sheremet was finishing work on the Belarusian TV, which was also different from what it is now. He was the presenter of the “Prospect” program. Although he studied economics in the university, he started his career in journalism.

Pavel was an outstanding journalist and a unique personality. I remember him come to our radio to Volha Karatkevich’s program dedicated to economic issues. Volha also came to our radio from the television, which was then independent, but stopped existing after Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s coming to power.

It was an interesting duet on the air. Later, they became stars of the Belarusian journalism. Volha Karatkevich went to work in Prague on Radio Svaboda, while Pavel was forced to move to Russia, and there he starred in Russian programs. Then he moved to Ukraine.

This year they have both passed away. Volha Karatkevich died of cancer a month ago, and now Pavel has died. The stars of the Belarusian journalism are passing away. I would like to draw attention, it is very important, unlike other countries, very often big journalist talents cannot realize their potential in Belarus. They are forced to go abroad.

When Pavel Sheremet was in prison in Belarus, it was the beginning of my political path. After Radio 101,2 had been closed, I worked as the Independent Press Support Fund director. And when Pavel was arrested, we started a campaign for his release. There were solidarity actions, the March in striped uniforms, pickets. It was then, when together with Mikalai Khalezin, we came up with the slogan “Sheremet for the Presidency!” Pavel became a very popular politician according to the polls. It was getting on Lukashenka’s nerves.

When under Boris Nemtsov and Boris Yeltsin’s pressure Sheremet was finally released from the Belarusian prison, he was so popular and famous that Lukashenka made him leave for Russia.

Perhaps now West politicians in the connection with Pavel Sheremet’s death will realize that the Belarusian independent journalists are constantly in danger, because they are in authorities’ way.

– He went to Russia. And he had to escape from there, too. At the same time, he managed to create the independent Belarusian web-portal Belarusian Partisan.

– Yes, this is a successful project. I came to prison to ask people what they had read on the internet before their imprisonment. I asked policemen the same question. The vast majority responded that they read two Internet portals: Charter 97 and the Belarusian Partisan.

Now the founder of the Belarusian Partisan has been killed, and before that in 2010 the founder of the website Charter 97 Aleh Bebenin was killed, too.

– An investigation has been initiated in connection with Pavel Sheremet’s death. An international group has been created in Ukraine. FBI has been invited to cooperate. There are different versions of the reasons for the murder in the media. The most common opinion is that it is connected with Pavel’s professional activity. What do you think?

– His murder is definitely connected with his activities in Kiev. One can ask the question whether it was Russian or Belarusian secret services, or some forces in Ukraine, because Pavel used to criticize both radicals and single politicians. But it all has to do with Ukraine – if it was done by Russian special services, the aim was to cast a shadow over the Ukrainian government and destabilize the situation in the country. If it was done by the Belarusian secret services, then they have an opportunity to take cover behind the Ukrainian-Russian conflict. Let's hope that the investigation will reveal the truth.

– What will happen to Pavel Sheremet’s project Belarusian partisan?

– I hope that there are Pavel’s colleagues, followers, who will be able to continue his work.

– Pavel Sheremet was forced to leave Belarus because there was no place for him there. Charter'97 editor in chief Natallia Radzina left Belarus on the same reason. It’s extremely difficult to be a journalist in Belarus and survive out there doing this job. They forget in the West that it is necessary to support independent journalists in Belarus, because their security, life and health, not to mention the freedom of performing professional activity, are constantly under threat. Can someone, including the West, help in this situation? I know that this question is often asked, but it is difficult to give an answer.

– This is a very good question. It’s important to note that many talented people, including journalists, cannot live up to their potential in Belarus. It’s important to understand that if Pavel Sheremet and Natallia Radzina could work in normal Belarus, they would, most likely, be heading large media-holdings, which would maybe even compete with each other. Their influence in Belarus would be enormous.

Pavel’s death is a huge breach in the Belarusian media.

There is also another aspect. I raised this issue at a conference on the problems of Eastern Europe, which was recently held in Warsaw. At a time when NATO's military decided to place four new battalions on the eastern flank, to neutralize the threat from the joint Russian-Belarusian group, Western politicians considerably reduce support for pro-democracy projects in Belarus. De facto, the Kalinouski program for the repressed students was closed, which is a really a humming blow on Belarusian opposition. Aid to those repressed is reducing. There are constant talks of reducing the support for independent media.

Maybe Pavel’s death is a warning, a sign that the independent mass media should not be left without support, because the Russian propaganda works intensively in the hybrid war. Among other things, an editorial office of Sputnik was opened in Belarus recently. Funds are invested in the development of various Cossack and Orthodox organizations that work closely with the security agencies of Russia and Belarus.

– Has anyone already announced the reduction of funding? What are they motivated by?

– Termination of the Kalinouski program for the repressed is a serious loss for us. We see that Norway stopped supporting Belarus and focused its attention on Ukraine. The same is being discussed in Sweden now. Ukraine is the priority to them, as well as aid to refugees. Support of democratic projects in Belarus has been significantly reduced.

Ironically, at a time when Russia is increasing its presence and informational influence, the West leaves Belarus, as if inviting Russia: “Please, the entrance is here!”

– What reasons were named?

– The problem of refugees, change in priorities in Eastern policy. And in general, nobody talks to the Belarusians. Only post factum. Sure, those are the money of the polish taxpayers and Poland is independent in decision-making. However, nobody has discussed the termination of Kalinouski program with the independent community of Belarus. They simply said: “You have les repressions now.”

And if there are many repressions, then what? And what should hundreds of families of the repressed opposition activists do? After all, when their child enters the university, he is often forcibly send to the army. At best, the children of the repressed can study at the fee-paying universities. But where can the opposition get the money? Moreover, the opposition activists’ children can be arrested and expelled from the university at any time.