Hans-Georg Wieck: “No essential reforms were conducted in Belarus”

Former head of the OSCE mission to Belarus, chairman of the German NGO “Human Rights in Belarus”, Dr Hans-Georg Wieck told in an interview to Deutsche Welle that Lukashenka faced a choice whether to get Belarus into the Euro-integration or to isolate the country from Europe.

“There were two variants – invite the Belarusian ruler or not. The invitation for the summit is a kind of Europe’s challenge to Lukashenka. He will have to meet the presidents of the five countries, offered to take part in the Eastern Partnership program, in Prague. Lukashenka has faced a difficult task – to choose between involving of his country and himself in Euro-integration and adopting a negative decision on this issue. Now he has a great chance to change the policy of Belarus, to get away from the self-isolation to democratic development and reforms together with other participants of the Eastern Partnership program,” the politician thinks.

The politician, however states that necessary political reforms haven’t been carried out in Belarus.

“If estimate the activity of the Belarusian authorities in the recent time, I can’t say I am impressed with them. Some slight changes took place, but there were no essential reforms. Now Belarus is regarded in another international context, as a possible member of the Eastern Partnership program, initiated by the EU. The program supposes that the EU will have serious attitude to the intention of the member countries to become closer to Europe. Belarus will also get this opportunity if it chooses a way of reforming. European politicians think that most of the people of Belarus want closer relations with the EU, too. But we have to state that essential reforms haven’t be conducted in the country,” Hans-Georg Wieck said.

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