Old Buddies – Putin and Lukashenko :: Charter'97 :: News

Lukashenko again wants to merge with Moscow, for the West still overlooks him. He wasn’t granted a visa in order to visit the NATO’s summit in Prague. 14 EU member-states and USA proclaimed him “persona-non-grata”. Europe’s last dictator Alexander Lukashenko gets into a greater isolation. So it is quite logical that he again turns to his old partner in the East. Yesterday Lukashenko met in Moscow with the Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Relations significantly cooled down after Putin proposed in August to set up the union state with Belarus on the conditions, which would mean de-facto incorporation of Belarus into Russia. However, Lukashenko can’t turn his back on Moscow. The country is economically dependent on the senior brother: all gas and 80% of oil are shipped from Russia, while Moscow is the key trade partner. So, both incumbents confirmed yesterday their intention to unite, while Lukashenko argued the new foreign policy with Western Europe as the key trade priority. From opposition’s point of view Russia’s support is one of the main factors for Lukashenko’s power. Nobody really believes Russia’s positive influence on the dictator in Minsk. “Hopes that democracy will come to Belarus from the East is unrealistic,” – said the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front Vintsuk Vyachorka, who paid visit to Berlin. Lukashenko, he said, would have got way less votes, had it not been for Russia’s support of him.
According to opposition, the dictator is supported by every fifth Belarusians, while 75% are in favor of EU partnership. How does the regime manage to retain grip on power? First and foremost, by means of intimidation, says Anatoly Lebedko – the leader of the United Civil Party. Since last September repressions intensified even more.