Jaraslau Bekish: Belarusan side should be invited to the EU Summit in Vilnius

The development of Belarusan and European relations and their normalization as well as any actions that stop the politics of self-isolation corresponds to the interests of Belarus and Belarusans.

This opinion shared the Belarusan National Coordinator of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Jaraslau Bekish in connection with the active appeal of a number of politicians to ban the entrance of the Belarusan Foreign Minister to the EU.

- I am convinced that the Belarusan side should be officially invited to the Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in November in Vilnius. This way or another Belarus is a country-member of the EaP Partnership Program. The development of Belarusan and European relations and their normalization as well as any actions that stop the politics of self-isolation corresponds to the interests of Belarus and Belarusans, which makes our country an incapable player at the geopolitical area; the player who falls under the influence of the Russian Federation.

Required normalization

Thus, the normalization of relations is necessary, though no one expects it to be possible only due to the invitation or even the participation in the Summit.

Besides, currently Belarus and the EU are in somewhat no-win relationship. On the one hand, the head of the Belarusan state shows extreme sensitivity when the question of concessions is at stake. He tries to make the EU give in first; otherwise it is interpreted as an attempt to humiliate his personal “honor and dignity”. The European Union is featureless and rational, but all the more effective in the solution of this question by this. The demands made by the EU and conditions to restore the official relations are not accepted by the Belarusan side. But obviously, the officials from the EU understand that freezing of the relations is not a constructive answer to the situation.

Reckoning on the progress

That is why Brussels considers the possibility to invite Belarusan authorities to the EU Summit. The conditions are the same, but in order to avoid a no-win situation the EU suggests abolishing the ban to entry the EU for the Belarusan Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei. Definitely, Europeans are not waiting for some breakthrough in the defrosting of the relations in case Makei arrives. They understand that the Belarusan side can act in an unexpected way and decline to participate in the Summit despite the entry permit. It can also act in a predictive way and use the Summit as a hint meaning that we are ready to talk, though it will cost a lot to Europe. However, any of these variants will be regarded as positive, though not considerable, as it gives grounds to account for the progress.

A symbolic capital

The Europe also understands that for Minsk it is important to participate in the Summit. It is not only the question of prestige in the eyes of the other countries-members of the EaP Partnership Program; it is a certain symbolic capital in advance of what Belarus by tradition calls “elections”.

And nevertheless, despite the Belarusan regime that receives some preferences from the possible participation in the Summit, I don’t agree with those political leaders and experts who are the opponents of the idea to invite the official Minsk to it. First, because I don’t share the hope of the aristocratic opposition to win in the elections, as there’ve never been and there are still no elections in Belarus. Second and the main reason is because I believe that though the Summit, though not the most pleasant, is the only opportunity for our country to overcome the political deadlock.

Temporal indulgence

And finally, I find the reasoning that the EU will show inconsistency by temporal removal of the ban to entry its territory for the Foreign Ministry of Belarus very superficial. The EU deliberately emphasizes that it makes a temporal indulgence, not to Uladzimir Makei personally, but to the Minister, i.e. due to his post, not for specific purposes. But still, the demands remain, with the ultimate discharge and rehabilitation of the political imprisoners being the chief ones.

In the end I will add that the question of participation or non-participation of Belarus in the EaP Summit is going to be discussed at the nearest conference of the Belarusan National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. For now all that is stated above is my own opinion.