Lukashenko Will Never Tolerate Democratic Transformations Says Vatslav Stankevich :: Charter'97 :: News

Within the framework of the September PACE session in Strasbourg they passed a few crucial decisions on our country: Europe once again denied recognition to the parliament, Russian deputy Sergei Kovalev was appointed the head of the sub-commission for disappeared politicians, member of Lithuanian Sejm Vatslav Stankevich was granted status of a permanent rapporteur on Belarus of the CoE Committee for human rights. From this moment on the PACE policy towards our country will largely depend on Stankevich, whose interview to the “Belorusskaya Gazeta” you may find below.

- Today there are plenty of negative issues in the Belarusian-Lithuanian relations. One of the most recent examples being the unilateral introduction of strict transit rules by Belarus for the foreign drivers, including Lithuanians. However, official Lithuania remains silent. What’s the Sejm’s and society’s position on the matter?

- We are historic neighbors. Lithuanians have good attitude towards Belarusians. Regrettably, our political routes are contradictory. Lithuania chose to move westward and access the EU and NATO and we follow this path without deviations. Hopefully, Lithuania would soon enter these influential structures. But Belarus… Right now I can’t say for sure where the country’s heading. It’s simply beyond my comprehension and common sense. As for the transit problem, the issue is to a large degree being politicized and our government will do its best to regulate this problem.

- Our countries enjoy almost an identical geographic location. Lithuania experienced problems, associated with her location in between East and West. Why did you choose to go west?

- Before the year 1990 our main target was independence. It cost us more efforts than yours cost you. This could be one of the reasons why life in Belarus is so different today from that in Lithuania. Lithuanians value their sovereignty. As soon as we got it, there immediately emerged a question how we can protect it in future. To do this Lithuania determined to join EU and NATO, which would be a warrant of our safety, stability and statehood. Accession to the EU will also be a step towards strengthening our statehood.

- What would you say about Belarus’ relations with Russia?

- Our society is bewildered by the policy, pursued by the Belarusian authorities. You have an independent country and are pressing hard to lose it. That’s a mystery for us. Lithuania is doing her best to strengthen, preserve and safeguard her sovereignty and statehood. It seems as though Belarus is going in an opposite direction…

- What’s the reason for that?

- The lack of democracy. One can get an impression that many of your countrymen disagree with the government’s building of some vague union of the two independent states with Russia. Even the Belarusian authorities fail to explain to the nation what kind of merger they are willing to have.

- Alexander Lukashenko regularly criticizes influential political and military international structures. What must happen before he can cooperate with Europe?

- I’m almost convinced that for as long as the current government preserves power, this will not happen. What they do is called self-isolation. Nobody isolates Belarus from the world, which has been many times stressed at the last PACE session. We in no wise ignore Belarus nor keep it in oblivion. Rather we called on all CoE member-states to cooperate with the Belarusian public, youth organizations, press and the “third” sector in order to explain to the people what democracy is all about and what living in democratic circumstances means. You’re asking me why Lukashenko criticizes Lithuania and the West? Because he simply fears to lose power. As soon as the democratic transformations get underway, his throne will be shattered under him.

- For the past couple of months in Belarus there have been actively circulated rumors that due to the Kremlin talks’ failure on August 14, Lukashenko will vitally need to resume contacts with the PACE, OSCE and EU. What does Europe think on that?

- I can hardly believe that Alexander Lukashenko may turn his country to the West after all he has said about us. In my opinion, he’ll be seeking other variants: time-consuming negotiations with Russia, imitation of real activity in the foreign policy sphere. They will keep up contacts with Russia. The president and his encirclement will propose to the public some new integration models. In reality, though, things will remain unchanged.

- Can the parliament of Belarus get its status restored in PACE if the National Assembly’s composition remains the same? What can convince Europe to soften her position on the matter?

- Not until the parliamentarians manifest real action and prove that deputies they are. For example, the draft law on ombudsman had been submitted to the Belarusian parliament years ago. The law is vital for the Council of Europe. Another key law is the law on press. Why aren’t they dealt with? But when your deputies come to us and report of some scientific and technological progress, it doesn’t sound convincing. Instead, let them show real actions, which we don’t see for now.

- Not so long ago Lukashenko declared that the past of the deputy defense Minister of Belarus general Vladimir Ushopchik doesn’t bother him much. Does Lithuania still remember the role he played in the tragic massacre in Vilnius in January 1991?

- Everyone knows that in Lithuania and not just the parliamentarians. That’s a very touching issue for us. We see how the man is making a brilliant career in Belarus and our attitude to that is utterly negative.