Czech Premier Calls Belarus “Political Museum” :: Charter'97 :: News

“Belarus is in a way a “political museum”, - said head of the Czech government Milos Zeman during his April 18 visit to Belarus. One of the elements of this museum, he said, is the existence of two budgets in the country – a public one and a private presidential. Zeman deems that the situation in Belarus is unsettling and may end in a social explosion.

Head of the Czech government was part of the delegation of the Socialist International, in which he chairs the committee for peace, security and human rights. The delegates were invited to Belarus by the local Social Democratic Party “Narodnaya Gromada”. They chanced to hold talks with the Belarusian opposition and met with the relatives of the disappeared Belarusian politicians and public figures.

Head of the Czech Cabinet didn’t meet with the official Minsk people. He told the journalists that prior to his visit the Belarusian embassy had six times pleaded with him to personally meet with Alexander Lukashenko. However, Zeman said that he would give his consent not until they invite all of the delegates, the BSDP NG chair Nikolai Statkevich included. But Lukashenko didn’t feel like facing Statkevich and those who received sentences for peaceful protests.