The praise of Yanukovich by EU might be a signal for Lukashenko

On April 7 Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich signed a decree on pardon of the two ministers from the Julia Timoshenko’s government – Yuri Lutsenko and Georgy Filipchuk. Now it’s Timoshenko’s turn.

European politicians have welcomed the release of former Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko from prison. EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle, European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland and many others European politicians reacted positively to the presidential action.

“We salute that President Yanukovich has exercised his prerogatives of pardoning in the cases of former Interior Minister Yury Lutsenko and former Environmental Protection Minister Georgy Filipchuk” -  UNIAN quoted the official statement by Ashton and Füle. – We now look forward to Ukraine addressing without further delay the outstanding case of selective justice and preventing any recurrence of selective justice“.

President Martin Schulz thanked the mission of ex-President of European Parliament Pat Cox and former Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski for their efforts to release Lutsenko.

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich’s pardon is in the spirit of the European Court of Human Rights, as Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland assured: “I believe that Ukraine will also follow the decision of the ECHR in the case of ex-prime minister Julia Timoshenko“.

Will Lukashenko follow the example of Yanukovich?

It is obvious that the release and rehabilitation of all the political prisoners in Belarus are the main conditions for the normalization of relations between Belarus and the West. Should we assume that, by approving the decision of Viktor Yanukovich, Brussels thus gives a signal to Belarus? Will Lukashenko follow the example of his Ukrainian colleague in the near future (in April), or will he delay the decision (for example, until July 3, to demonstrate his “clemency”)?

The signal is clear

According to one of the leaders of the civil campaign “Tell the Truth” Andrei Dmitriev, Belarus has a chance to be part of political Europe, “The EU has repeated many times to the Belarusian authorities on all possible levels: release people from prison and we will start negotiations. Ukraine is preparing to sign an association agreement, and Yanukovich does not want to ruin it“.
The Ukrainian President believes that the approval expressed to the official Kiev is not a signal, but an extremely clear answer to all the eternal wailing and manipulation directed towards the EU that could be labelled: “we are not welcome there”.
“The EU is open to Belarus and its citizens - said Andrei Dmitriev – We turn now to the authorities: the European future is needed not only by your children and  necessary for your savings –  it is important to all of us, Belarusian citizens – students, teachers, businessmen, workers, industrialists, and military men“.

He is convinced that we are not worse than Ukrainians and, therefore, such an agreement could be signed also with Belarus. It does not require so much. The main thing is that you need to stop burying your head in the sand, release people from the prison, and start a change in the country.

We have to fight, not talk

The former political prisoner Aliaksandr Atroshchankau said that many would be tempted to predict the steps of Alexander Lukashenko on the liberation regime opponents from prison.

“I think that we should base not on the far-fetched hypotheses, but on the facts. And the facts are: political prisoners are kept in the most difficult conditions and under the monstrous pressure. And you have to fight for their release in every way, every day“.

According to Atroshchankau, not a single political prisoner was released because of Lukashenka’s kindness: “Each release is a victory of principled, united and decisive actions of many people. I think that thoughtless – or intentional – insinuations like “and maybe he will let them go” only make understanding this more difficult“.

The West expects a similar step from Belarus

It is clear to everybody that the existence of political prisoners in Belarus is a “bad asset”, and we should get rid of it as soon as possible, said the deputy chairman of the United Civil Party (UCP) Antanina Kavaleva.

“Perhaps it is natural and logical to assume that these examples are a definite signal for Belarus, and Brussels expects the same step from the Belarusian authorities,” said the politician. She could not say exactly when the political prisoners will be released: “One can only suppose that, most probably, they will be released one by one. It could be done closer to the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, which is scheduled for November 2013″. In addition, Kavaleva said, the question of rehabilitation, which the UCP insists on, causes serious doubts.

The current political prisoners will have to disburse our loans

Famous Belarusian blogger Evgeni Lipkovich made a note that our political practice, which we have been observing for almost 19 years, is based on a fairly simple principle: to hold our positions at all costs and to the last man, but if it does not help – to change the side and join the enemy.

“This is the way how our relationship with Russia and with the West were built”, he said. “Unfortunately, Chavez died at the wrong time and Venezuela is busy with elections. We have also problems with Iran, our Azerbaijani brothers are in trouble because of that money on the island of Jersey, and it is not known whether – after the tricks with “Spartak” and “KOMMUNARKA” – there is still anyone who would buy anything from us – and we need money. It is believed that the IMF does not give the funds for political reasons. And some of these reasons can be removed thorough the amnesty of prisoners“.

However, said Evgeni Lipkovich, the amnesty would come when it became clear that the hole in the budget is bottomless. A few days of hesitation, a collection of signatures, a survey and examination of experts, and probably on July 3 political prisoners will be released, but it is provided that only up to 1,000 people take part in the “Charnobylski Shlyakh” (Path to Chernobyl).

“And if the number is greater, then Russia will waver, and they will sign the fuel balance or will give another loan to the regime, which will be disbursed already by the released through an uncertain time political prisoners“, – concluded the blogger.

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