Uladzimir Matskevich: Makei is lacking initiative and will only carry out orders

The fact that the ban on Uladzimir Makei to entry the EU is removed can hardly influence the dynamics of Belarus-Europe relations.

Such opinion shared Uladzimir Matskevich, the head of the Board of the International Consortium “EuroBelarus”.

He called the decision to drop sanctions against Belarusan Minister of Foreign Affairs “pragmatic and technical”.

Uladzimir Matskevich also recalled that the sanctions were not removed completely, and Makei still remains on the list of persons subject to EU restrictive measures, while the problem of removing visa bans to entry EU countries has long been on the agenda of Belarus-Europe relations.

“However maleficent this regime is, we still have to converse with it, because without the dialog we can’t come to any agreement. So Belarusan Foreign Minister is the figure that will hold negotiations, as even the warring factions share some contacts”, - Uladzimir Matskevich noted.

“Besides, I think that it is for carrying out negotiations between Europe and Belarus that Uladzimir Makei was removed from the position of the head of the President’s Executive Office, - the head of the Board of “EuroBelarus” believes. – I.e. the attempts to mend fences have been made for a long time. And removing visa ban from Uladzimir Makei is the result of this hard long drawn-out process”.

Uladzimir Makei warned against excessive optimism towards this step from the side of European politicians. We can hardly expect that it can remove Belarus-Europe relations off the dead-point. “It won’t happen until some significant decisions on the highest level will be taken”, - declared the public leader.

 “However influential is Makei in the Belarusan regime, his powers are to a much degree limited. After December 19, 2010 he is inferior to law enforcement agencies, - Uladzimir Matskevich recalled. – And up to this time Lukashenka have made it understood for several times that he islacking initiative and will carry out orders of the higher authorities”.

That is why in the situation when the regime itself demonstrates Makei’s lack of initiative, we shouldn’t have any prospective expectations connected with his personality, emphasized the head of the Board of “EuroBelarus”.