Andrei Yahorau: Some things in Lukashenko's statements can’t be understood. And there’s no need to!

It is impossible to find any logic in the scandal when Belarus expelled the Swedish ambassador Stefan Eriksson and closed the Swedish Embassy. Such an opinion was expressed by Andrei Yahorau, head of the Center for European Transformation, to the...

It is impossible to find any logic in the scandal when Belarus expelled the Swedish ambassador Stefan Eriksson and closed the Swedish Embassy. Such an opinion was expressed by Andrei Yahorau, head of the Center for European Transformation, to the EuroBelarus Information Service.

The expert has reminded that Stefan Eriksson is one of the figures who have done a lot of good things for our state in the field of building relations with Sweden.

The reaction is very bad

"He has worked to develop not only cultural relations or relations with civil society, but also Belarusan business, programs of Sweden’s assistance, which included state establishments as well. Stefan Eriksson has done a slew of other good things. Therefore, the Belarusan party’s reaction is way too bad", - Andrei Yahorau underlines.

Let's remind that during his conversation with journalists on the platform of the future Astraviec (Ostrovets) Atomic Power Station, Alexander Lukashenko marked that the Swedish ambassador is keen on the Belarusan history and language.

"We saw it. Needless to say that he headed our fifth column, he studied our language and the history of the Belarusan nation. Thanks God, right now he will have more time for that. The thing is that he has destroyed all positive things in the relations of Sweden and Belarus", - said Lukashenko.

However, the head of the Center for European Transformation does not notice anything bad in the actions of the Swedish ambassador.

"The ambassador knows the language of the country where he works? So what? I see nothing bad in it; it is very good. Also, it is a usual practice for ambassadors. Therefore, in this sense, it is not clear what causes Lukashenko’s irritation. Our president is basically infamous for his not very adequate reactions to various things. Here, in this case, one should not expect any adequacy from him. The situation itself is unhealthy, as for the behavior of Minsk in its relations with the European Union and with Ambassador Eriksson", - considers Andrei Yahorau.

We have harmed ourselves

He has also commented on the welter in Alexander Lukashenko's statements when at first he underlined in the beginning of his speech that the case with the teddy bears has nothing to do with Stefan Eriksson's exile, but then added that the Swedish Embassy had participated in this action.

"We had to stop treating seriously the words our president says! In general, it is necessary to stop making comments on what he speaks about. Let’s also go to the madhouse and ask what they think about this case!" - Andrei Yahorau suggests.

The same concerns the president’s statements about the "tolerant" Belarusans who simply regretted these pilots - "have regretted the plywood plane". For some reason, the politician has forgotten that in that plane there were alive people.

"Some things, in particular those of such a kind, in Lukashenko's statements are impossible to understand. And there is no need to! It is necessary to understand the situation, which is developing now in connection with the fact that Belarus has provoked for no reason another diplomatic scandal with the European Union. And this escalating scandal is not good for Belarus, its interests, business, civil society, and even for the state itself. This is what has to be understood, and the situation has to be viewed from such a point of view", - considers Andrei Yahorau.

As a matter of fact, the diplomatic relations are broken

The expert thinks that the expulsion of the Swedish Embassy is the beginning of breaking the relations between Minsk and Stockholm.

"Of course, even for this situation, which is now being developed by the Belarusan party and which causes the corresponding steps of Sweden, there are no real bases and reasons to recall our embassy and to expel the Swedish Embassy from Minsk. Except, of course, for the entire inadequacy of Belarus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It concerns both Minsk’s attitude towards the PR-action of the Swedish agency and Stefan Eriksson's activity. Belarus is trying to throw Eriksson out with the minimal for itself consequences on the part of Sweden and other EU countries. And that is why Minsk does everything to present this conflict as a very private situation that has to do with the non-renewal of Eriksson's credentials, as an entirely normal case that in general does not cause any problems in the diplomatic relations. But, as a matter of fact, it is the rupture of diplomatic relations, or everything is going in this direction", - says Andrei Yahorau.