Ukraine Cannot Win Alone!

November 7th, 2014

 

The Belarusians and Ukrainians are natural allies in the struggle against Putin and Lukashenka.
Coordinator of the civil campaign European Belarus Dmitri Bondarenko and editor-in-chief of charter97.org Natallia Radina visited Kyiv to take part in the press-conference held by the information agency Glavkom and moderated by head of its press-center Natalia Malinovskaya. According to Bondarenko and Radina, Belarusians and Ukrainians are natural allies in the fight against Putin and Lukashenka.

- How would you comment Lukashenka’s role in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict? We know that you are skeptical about Lukashenka’s contributions as a “peacemaker”. Have you changed your opinion after your arrival to Kyiv?

Natallia Radina: No, I haven’t. It would be a great mistake to expect something from Lukashenka, simply because Ukraine’s new government were elected in a democratic manner, while Lukashenka is a dictator. In the country where his dictator regime rules politicians are murdered, political prisoners are kept in jails, prisoners of consciousness are tortured. Dmitri Bondarenko here spent a year and a half in a Belarusian prison, he can tell you more about it.

It is weird that democratic Ukraine chooses allies like Lukashenka. Don’t forget, Lukashenka is Kremlin’s marionette. He lets Russia keep its troops and weapons in Belarus. He is a very dangerous and cunning neighbor, not an ally. In the situation when Russia and Ukraine are at war, he is looking for certain dividends for himself.

- Is it Lukashenka’s time to shine now when Europe is willing to cooperate with him?

Natallia Radina: A similar situation already happened in 2008 during the Russian-Georgian war when Lukashenka was selling his position on Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia to Russia and Europe at the same time. He didn’t recognize these territories as independent states, and in return he got loans from the EU which saved his dictator regime from a collapse. The economic situation in Belarus was catastrophic back then.

- Today Ukraine suffers attacks by Russia. Is it plausible that Lukashenka will change the way he treats dissidents if he realizes that he can be the next victim?

Dmitri Bondarenko: Unfortunately, this is an illusionary hope. The dictator will remain, while people who we hoped would become democratic leaders leave. One of the reasons behind this are the mistakes in foreign and home politics. I mean Lukashenka’s lobbyists Mikhail Saakashvili and Viktor Yuschenko.
Unfortunately, during the past 20 years we have been through that many times. New diplomats and foreign ministers arrive to Minsk. Nearly all of them naively hope to change Lukashenka, but you cannot change someone who is so determined to keep their power at any cost.

At the same time, Lukashenka’s regime exists at Moscow’s expense. The financial aid from Russia, such as low oil and gas prices, combined with debts that the regime will never pay back, amount to 5-10 billion dollars annually. While previously the Russian empire in the form of the USSR could support dozens of pseudo-communist regimes at once, today its resources are enough for only one “brotherly” dictatorship. Russia cannot do more, and Lukashenka takes advantage of this situation.

- Given that Lukashenka will never change, can there be a Belarusian Maidan?

Natallia Radina: There will certainly be a Belarusian Maidan. Ukraine’s example has showed that regimes like Lukashenka’s or Yanukovich’s leave no other option of power transmission. The question is when the Belarusian Maidan will happen. But it is obvious that even Belarus will see an escalation.
However, there is one problem: the Belarusians are fooled by the Russian propaganda. Russian TV-channels are broadcast all over Belarus. During two decades, Lukashenka has been destroying independent media, and today we suffer the results of his politics. Basically, today the Belarusians trust Russian media more than the Belarusian propaganda and consider Putin to be a lesser evil than Lukashenka.

- This is actually very sad…

Natallia Radina: I would not put it this way. Masks are off. The way Putin’s regime treats Ukraine demonstrates their imperial nature and ambitions. There is hope that Europe will finally wake up and realize how dangerous the situation in our region has become and how close the world is to getting a new USSR, or even worse – a new Russian Empire. Putin supports the marionette regimes of Belarus, Southern Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria and is trying to install a similar regime in Ukraine.

- I am not convinced that Europe will ever wake up. Half of the countries there have been bought, some are too engaged in their games, and some simply don’t care because they are only minor players on the global stage.

Natallia Radina: But let’s not forget about oil prices, a crucial factor.

- Let’s hope so. I often say that the Ukrainian events show the entire world how not to do. We are trying to build a new Ukraine, which is why I would like to hear a third opinion about the mistakes that we have already made when building the new country?

Dmitri Bondarenko: As the majority of normal people around the world, we admire Ukraine, your people’s courage and will that you have showed at the Maidan and in the struggle against the direct aggression of Russia.

During the collapse of the USSR it was clear that communism is bad, and that we need to help the countries that want to get rid of this ideology. Today, Ukraine is a lone fighter, which, too, can be seen as a mistake. Charter97.org and other independent Belarusian media built an incredibly strong interest for Ukraine. Hundreds of our activists were at the Maidan during the “orange” revolution and at the Euromaidan in 2013-2014.

What has each Maidan given us? Ukraine’s new leader hugging with our dictator, something that would never happen in the times of the Polish Solidarnosc. Poland transmitted the light of freedom on other countries, and new Polish leaders worked with dissidents from Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Eastern Germany. Poland showed a strong political example.

What do we see in Ukraine? We see Maidan leaders hugging with dictators and having business relations with dictators. Real-politik in action. Yushchenko’s friends were Kaddafi and Lukashenka. With such actions, your powers trigger periods of depression in Belarus.

During the Maidan, official Belarusian media poured loads of dirt on the Ukrainians who rebelled against the dictatorship while the democratic powers took the Maidan’s part. However, when Ukrainian leaders come to power, they tend to forget about Belarusian democrats and bow to Lukashenka. Why isn’t any of them speaking about our political prisoners? Why does the country that has signed the Association Agreement with the European Union lets an EU-blacklisted person across its border?

This is the mistake. Ukraine cannot win alone, even with all its might and tragedy. Our countries have been together for thousands of years. Together we were suppressed by the empire, together we should free ourselves. Only a free democratic European Belarus can be a friend of free democratic Ukraine.

Should we bet on the dictator? This is a test for us. Where is Saakashvili? Where is Yushchenko? They say that Poroshenko has to put out the fire. His predecessors, too, had to “put out the fire”, but a quick look at the recent statistics shows that tobacco supplies from Belarus to Ukraine grew 40 times. Can there be a connection to your open borders with the EU? Supplies of alcohol grew 8 times.

We are not trying to criticize your home politics, the purpose of our visit to Kyiv is to check what we can learn from the Ukrainians. Moreover, we want to remind that the control over the power should include both home and foreign affairs, because a cooperation with dictators affects the free Ukraine’s image.

- The negotiations in Minsk will continue, won’t they? It will take months until the conflict in the East is settled. It is impossible to cut off all diplomatic contacts between independent Ukraine and the dictator.

Dmitri Bondarenko: there is one simple thing. When Poland’s foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski or German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle came to Belarus, they met with representatives from the authorities and the opposition. When the leaders of the new government (and previously - the leaders of the “orange” government) visit Minsk, they never meet with Belarusian democrats and families of the political prisoners. It causes huge reputational damage.
It is true that now in the wartime Minsk offers a platform for negotiations; however, European democratic politics should follow certain standards.

Natallia Radina: Speaking about Minsk as a platform for negotiations, we can clearly see that all agreements are simply disregarded. I have heard different points of view, some meaning that Belarus was the only place to meet because the separatists cannot travel to Geneva and Kazakhstan’s government refused to act as an intermediary.

However, who is it that Kuchma is negotiating with in Minsk? Putin’s puppets? This is completely meaningless. Putin is determined to continue his aggressive politics. For him, the negotiations in Minsk are a little break before the next attack.

- Who benefits most from the negotiations in Minsk?

Natallia Radina: Definitely Lukashenka. This person has always been an international scapegoat. Previously he used the Russian-Georgian war and now he is using the Russian-Ukrainian war to pop up to the global arena as a jack-in-the-box. Lukashenka has deeply rooted psychological complexes. For him, it is crucial to be a politician of a global level. And he exploits your tragedy to 100%.

Trust me, he doesn’t give a damn about Ukraine or the Ukrainian people. Just look at what he is doing: every public statement that comes from Lukashenka is full of contradictions. In one sentence, he praises Ukraine; in another, he gives compliments to Russia. This deep split makes him a political puppet led by the Kremlin puppeteers. Trust me, he will betray Ukraine whenever it is in his interests.

Moreover, Lukashenka has made Belarus a transit and smuggling zone that European goods cross on their way to Russia avoiding sanctions. In fact, he earns tons of money that land in his pocket. For Lukashenka, it is crucial to have the status of a “negotiator” and “peacemaker”, although in reality he is a businessman who earns money on the Ukrainian blood.

- Indeed, the image of ”dictator-peacemaker” is something new. The world hasn’t seen it before… Soon it’s time for elections in Ukraine. What is your evaluation of our electoral campaign?

Dmitry Bondarenko: despite all the problems and the ongoing war, Ukraine is transforming into a democratic state. We envy you. In Belarus, independent media disappeared for a long time ago. The majority of Belarusians hate Lukashenka and are tired from this life, but without media, the communication is one-way.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian society is alive. We see your electoral campaign in the streets and in the media. Of course, different media can have different angles and different stakeholders, but this is democracy. We want to wish you luck. The situation in Belarus is different.

I hope that the new Supreme Rada will be better than the present because your powers will change completely. This is crucial for Ukraine, both nationally and internationally. The country will have a legitimate president and a legitimate parliament. You have civil control over the powers. This is a huge step forward. Ukraine is a regional power with a huge potential. I would like to see your spirit of freedom spreading to Belarus and other countries.

Natallia Radina: I hope that Ukraine’s new parliament will be more selective in its contacts than the previous Supreme Rada, and that they will not begin with establishing a relation with the illegitimate Belarusian parliament. Don’t forget that there are no legally elected deputies or parliament in Belarus. Lukashenka has destroyed and subordinated all power institutions in the country. The Belarusian “national gathering” is a puppet structure. In other words, my message to the new Ukrainian deputies is to establish contacts with the democratic Belarus, not with the dictatorship.

Free Belarus! Remove Lukashenko’s Wallet!

The dictator will continue to ignore the West’s demands unless billions of dollars stop coming in.

The chair of the working group on investments at the Committee for International Control of the Human Rights Situation in Belarus Olga Zakharova said it in an interview to charter97.org. Olga has recently presented report The EU Dilemma: "What Kind of Dialogue with Belarus?" in Warsaw together with Yuri Dzhibladze.

- Olga, you became known as the chair of the Committee for International Control of the Human Rights Situation in Belarus first after the events of December 19, 2010 in Minsk. How did you become a human rights activist?

- My mother was born in Latvia, but she came to Russia to study, and stayed to live here. At first I was a biologist, or an environmental activist with a background in journalism. But eventually in the late 1990-early 2000s many of my colleagues from former soviet countries were put to prison. In Belarus, it happened to professor Yuri Bandazhevski; in Turkmenistan several people were pressed and had to leave the country. And here in Russia it became much harder to protect the environment, tress, people from the factories. The space squeezed and I realized that unless basic human rights are respected, there’ll be no environment. Belarus, Russia and Central Asia are gradually moving away from democracy, and I decided that I should work with human rights.

- When did you as a Russian human rights activist begin to work with the situation with human rights in Belarus?

- At first, it was the environment. Apart from Bandazhevski and all those “nuclear” cases, we worked with protection of the Bielavezhskaya pushcha. When the current powers got involved, we tried to preserve the national park, to save at least something. We held a successful international campaign that drew much attention, but eventually the ecologists had to leave. Then I was warned that it would be better for me not to return to Belarus.

But we did return on December 19, 2010. It was an international task to rescue the Belarusians that had to go to prison after the presidential elections. We should show solidarity. There is a law: if you don’t help others, nobody will help you. We realized that the same or a similar situation can happen in Russia. In fact, we were right…

- Thank you for your solidarity. How did your work look like at that time when so many people were in prison?

- At that time, a part of representatives of the Committee for International Control of the Human Rights Situation in Belarus were in Minsk working with youth at human rights seminars. Before the elections of December 19, 2010, we saw that someone had to watch and tell about the events to the international community. We kept in touch and started to act before the mass arrests. My colleagues and I had this idea to start the OSCE Moscow process, while the others who were in Minsk wanted to launch an observatory mission to tell about what was going on.

It became clear that still so many organizations alarmed by the situation in Belarus are looking for ways to help, there was a need to establish the committee, first of all, because the committee gives the possibility to coordinate actions. As a result, apart from the international observatory mission of the Committee for international control of the situation there was appointed Special Rapporteur on Belarus Neil Jarman whose report was very influential. It was the first appointment of a special rapporteur on Belarus since the events of December 19. His report was one of the factors that helped us start the OSCE Moscow process. We had to convince everyone that this was an extraordinary situation.

Even if the terror had never followed – the tortures in prisons, forced disappearances – this situation would still be classified as a “crisis”.

For a long time our mission was in fact the only international institution functioning in Minsk, because the OSCE mission was very soon asked to leave. It was basically the only source of information, and as soon as the Belarusian powers realized it they started to bar human rights activists from Russia and Ukraine from coming to the country. Our colleagues were stopped at the border; some were detained, some were deported or asked to leave Belarus within the nearest 24 hours and not to come back in the near future. This way, 20 persons were forced to leave Belarus, that not including the foreign journalists and activists of political movements. I am only talking about civil observers not related to political forces who only worked with human rights.

- You have mentioned a crisis. Is it over or is it still happening?

- In his report, the UN special rapporteur on Belarus Miklos Haraszti emphasized that we are dealing with a full-scale system crisis of human rights in Belarus. It reached its acute on December 19, 2010. A system crisis is not a fantasy. The European court of human rights has a definition for it. The situation in Belarus fits it perfectly.

Why is it important? We are looking at situations not only from the point of view of personal tragedies and broken lives, but we also consider the current events in Belarus and now in Russia. It is an attempt to rewrite the history of human rights, to give the powers right to do whatever they please. And if our rulers succeed, we will get a new frightening world. Syria will seem a paradise compared to what will happen here. It is already happening in several countries in Central Asia, but nobody is talking about it.

- How strong is the impact of the situation in Belarus on its neighbors – Russia and Ukraine?

- The impact on Russia is negative. For the last 20 years, a part of the nation has been living in an illusion that there is some kind of communist paradise across the border. Many people believe that there is this ideal model, “Byelorussia” as they call it. And it has a destructive effect not only on common people but on the intelligentsia, teachers, doctors who are not particularly interested in details and don’t have the full picture. Unfortunately, Lukashenka’s propaganda has proved very effective.

But the events after December 19, 2010, showed that the Belarusian powers can throw people to prison and torture them and not suffer any consequences. Sanctions? Conflict with the West? Well, there has always been a conflict. Then repressive laws followed. Belarus is a training ground. Lukashenko tries first, Big Brother repeats.

As for Ukraine, it will manage to keep balance unless the situation changes. The relations of Belarus with the European Union also play a role here. If the EU repeats the same mistake and says “it doesn’t matter that you have political prisoners and no democracy – just fix something a little bit,” Yanukovich and his team will realize that these methods can be used in Ukraine. And they will have it their way, the Eastern Partnership will just play along.

If the EU becomes more rigid (which is not so probable), there is a chance that the Ukrainian powers will act more properly. Obviously, neither Lukashenka, nor Yanukovich want to hug with Russia, and because both of them will lose their power at once.

I am going to say a very cynical thing. Everyone is anxious about the rising Russian military presence in Belarus. Why is Lukashenka doing it? He understands that nobody will perform a military overturn. This military base poses no threat to him. If the situation develops in the same direction, Putin will gain unlimited authority.

- Why are you so sure?

- There are norms of the international law. Russia will never choose a military overturn. The only thing Russia could complete was the little victorious war in Georgia. Hence, nobody will deprive Lukashenka of his power in a military overturn. If Russians get a full control over the Belarusian economy, there is no need in Lukashenko. Then he can be simply removed and placed in Drazdy.

As any paranoid, Lukashenko feels danger 100 steps away. Our forecast is that he will stay till the last drop in his games with Russia.

On the other hand, Lukashenko will try to “suppress” the European Union. And it would be really stupid to tell the Europeans (while export of Belarusian goods to Europe reduced by 40 percent during January-June 2013) to lift the sanctions against the dictator, which is already happening.

This person just like his entire team come from the Soviet Union. They don’t understand what a constructive dialog is. For them, it is a situation when the opposite part makes concessions and when the system of agreements, constraints and counterweights doesn’t function. Europeans can spend all time at a chess board, but Lukashenka will still beat them with a hockey-stick.

- What should Europe do? What are your recommendations?

- The system needs to change. Why don’t we support the international procedures that concern Belarus? Why did we need the OSCE Moscow mechanism so much? Why do we support the report of the UN special rapporteur Miklos Haraszti and why do we want his mandate prolonged? Because all these things put the situation in Belarus in a legal sphere.

You see, this ”dialog” with the EU about human rights, the ”dialog” with the USA is an invention of evil persons from the West who want to ”bend” the little poor country over. And when we appeal to the international legal norms, agreements and obligations that Belarus took on voluntarily, it proves that human rights are not an interior issue. If you want a dialog, you should fulfill your obligations, not act as little children at the dinner table: I’m not eating this, I’ll have that instead.

With these agreements, commonly accepted notions and norms, a road map of changes can be constructed to use for evaluation of the progress. If the political prisoners are released now (and in the current situation they will not be rehabilitated), there should be no illusions.

If there are no clear changes, there will be new political prisoners. Why is this situation so repulsive? Because the ruler says he acts in compliance with the law, that Belarus is a state of law. But if this law contradicts all international norms and agreements on human rights, it means that it is a bad law and it should be changed. There is no need for claiming hypocritically “we live in a state of law.”

- Do you support target sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime?

- It is not sanctions but restrictive measures, because sanctions are “carpet bombing”. We are talking about the need to limit the trade between the people who earn profits for Lukashenka’s regime and, first of all, the USA and EU.

A classic example: Latvia managed to lift these restrictive measures from some of the most profitable companies of Yury Chyzh. Basically, these companies worked via the profitable scheme of petroleum products trade estimated to generate 2-3 billion dollars.

Do you see now why Lukashenka ignores the demands of the international community? When the positive trade balance with the EU equals 8 billion, all threats sound ridiculous. It is much more than what they get from Russia.

That is why we believe that those who earn profits for the regime should face significant restrictions. The criteria are simple: we see who gets the best parts, and who gets license to trade with petroleum products, tobacco and alcohol.

- You have studied the situation with the Belarusian banks, too.

- This situation is interesting. We have questions about Iranian banks in Belarus, although formally sold because of the sanctions imposed by the USA. But the question of how and where the cash flows went remains, because we know that Belarus and Iran have a mutual agreement on direct accounting that doesn’t involve SWIFT. But you understand that these accounts are meant for direct deals of unknown character.
100 percent of shares of the North European Bank until recently called Onerbank belonged to Iranian banks. After the sanctions imposed by the West, the bank had to change its name and shareholders. Now, its owners are citizens of Germany and Turkmenistan. However, there are born Iranians among the board members.

There is Fransabank with Lebanese capital that operates in France, Lebanon and, I believe, Syria. For a couple of years ago, the New York court closed a case against this bank initiated on complaints of the victims of attacks against Israel, like Hezbollah attacks. The bank worked with accounts of this organization. There was enough evidence for the case, but it was still closed because the court lacked jurisdiction. Here comes a question: what does this bank do in Belarus, given the complicated history of Lukashenka’s weapon trade with all these friendly regimes in the Middle East? In my view, this situation should be scrutinized.

- Lukashenka’s prime income is from selling petroleum products to the West. There is a long-lasting argument: if this trade is limited, who will suffer – Lukashenka or the people?

- There are two aspects to this argument, a moral and a practical. The moral aspect: when the regime gets its key income from selling Russian petroleum products, the EU can follow the example of the USA and simply impose sanctions against Belneftekhim. But unfortunately, Europeans won’t dare do that. Moreover, they claim that the petroleum products mostly are transit goods. Then another question arises: where do these goods go to from Rotterdam? Maybe, the USA? This question should also be considered.

The practical aspect: restrictions of the petroleum products trade are needed at least for private companies, like it was with Chyzh’ companies which had a major impact on the regime But as we see today sanctions have been lifted from all these companies.

- Why is it happening?

- You surely understand that when some countries get the major part of their income from transit of goods, there comes a necessity, as they think, to ”compromise” and ”use a pragmatic approach”. And hence, if voters are discontent with the economic situation in the country, lobbyists’ job gets easier. Basically, charter97.org has published reports of security services of Latvia and Lithuania that said that the Belarusian special services are very active in these countries. We have an idea about what they do there. During a KGB meeting Lukashenka suddenly asked, what happens with this dialog with the West, which shows who is actually in charge of this “dialog”.

Two So Called Presidents Have Met in Sochi On 8/19/2008

(Dictatorships Unite in Isolation From the Rest of the World)

So called president of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko called actions of Russia during the war in Georgia quiet and accurate. "Everything has been done perfect, in a very calm, wise and beautiful manner," Lukashenka said in Sochi at the meeting with so called Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev. "Russia has done everything very accurately," the Belarusian ruler obligingly added, that actions of the West in the same situation would be such that "the whole world would be stirred".

Lukashenko noted that actions of the Russian Federation for settlement the conflict are to contribute to peace in the region "for long times".
He believes that the events "nudge us to some not simple actions in the framework of the Union State". Lukashenko underlined that "never called that [Russia's actions in Georgia] a war". He noted once again that everything was done by Russia in a calm manner.

Today (August 19th, 2008) Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Russian "president" Dmitriy Medvedev in Sochi. As informed by Russian officials, during the meeting the "heads" of the states were to discuss issues of transition to market formation of prices, preparation to the CIS summit, as well as Russia's war with Georgia and the stance of Belarus towards it.

The Ambassador of Russia to Belarus Alexandr Surikov criticized the Belarusian authorities for "keeping timid silence" in the situation in South Ossetia. To his mind, Moscow expected humanitarian aid and "words of support". Next day Lukashenko expressed condolences to victims, and yesterday evening 63 tons of humanitarian aid were delivered to Vladikavkaz from Belarus.

On August 13 at the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorski tried to achieve lower price for gas in 2009 (Gazprom plans to raise it to $200 per 1,000 cubic metres), and a long-time loan of $2 bn. But talks on economic topics were postponed till the beginning of autumn.

The position of Belarus towards the conflict in South Ossetia caused the proposal to Aleksandr Lukashenko to find agreement with Russian president Dmitriy Medvedev first. Dmitriy Medvedev and Aleksandr Lukashenko have agreed upon holding another session of the Supreme State Council of the "Union State". Also leaders of the states "agreed to carry to completion the work on the intergovernmental agreement on creation a single air defence system, which is to be signed during this session".

During the meeting of the "presidents" the schedule of the upcoming political contacts till the end of the year was discussed. An agreement on holding another session of the Supreme state council of the "Union State" in Moscow this autumn has been reached.

Belarus Is Going to Be Sold To Russia For $3.5 Billion? Why Not?

$1.5 billion? $2.0 billion? $3.5 billion? Going once. Going twice. Sold to a gentleman in the front raw - "Time" magazine Person of the Year 2007 - Future Czar of Russia & Belarus, Mr. Putin.

On December 20th, 2007 in Moscow, Belarus and Russia has signed an agreement on granting Belarus a state credit of 1.5 billion dollars. The document has been signed by Belarusian Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut and Russian vice Prime Minister, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. Also Russia is considering a possibility to lend 2 billion dollars more in the year 2008.

In spite of the Deputy Economy Minister of Belarus Oleg Melnikov's statements (he is in charge of privatization issues) at a press-conference in Minsk that "Russia's decision to grant Belarus a $1.5 billion stabilization loan is not subject to Russians' claims to Belarusian public property and any large-scale, massive sales of property to Russian investors are not expected.",-- there is a strong (100%?) probability that the most profitable Belarusian enterprises will be sold to Russian owners in the near future.

As always everything will be done under the table and totally uninformed Belarusian public would not even notice that the owners have been changed and the whole country of more than 9.5 million people is sold to new Russian oligarchs. Why is that?

Simple. The president of Russia was never elected by the people of Russia, he was appointed by Boris Eltsin (former president). The president of Belarus was elected democratically by the people of Belarus 13 years ago, but he re-elected himself twice in 1999 and 2006 by killing the other opposition candidates (former Interior Minister general Yury Zakharenko and the other candidate for Belarusian presidency Viktor Gonchar, 1999) or putting a new presidential candidate to jail (Aleksandr Kozulin, 2006) and falsifying the results. According to western democratic standards basically both of the presidents are illegitimate and they do not care about their people. Both of them care only about two things: power & money for their clans.

Nobody knows about what both presidents were talking for seven hours behind closed doors till 5:30 am on December 14, 2007 in Minsk during the official visit of the president of Russia to Belarus (Dec. 13-14, 2007). Probably, they were both discussing how to keep power forever? Probably, they were both exchanging ideas how to keep opposition in jail during the presidential elections in Russia 2008? Probably, they were both talking over how to sell Air Defense Systems C-400 all over the world? Or, probably, they were tossing around the idea to make Belarus a nuclear state again?

Anyway, probably, sleeping Belarusians one day will wake up in Russia. Because the country is sold in secret for $3.5 billion already and nobody even knows about it. Good night, Belarus. Happy dreams to you.

Brothers (or Dictators?!) Are United (Forever?)

(Chaves, Putin & Lukashenko)

On June 30th, 2007 Aleksandr Lukashenko has met with the leader of Venezuela Hugo Chavez who was on his way to Minsk from Russia. As it is stated officially the presidents are to discuss the issues of bilateral cooperation, including trade and economic relations and cooperation in energy sphere and some issues of military and technical cooperation.

As stated by Chavez, he plans to view the "final details" of the contract which would allow Venezuela get "complex air defense systems" with a range of 200-300 km.

On June 28th, 2007 in the evening Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was received by the Russian president Vladimir Putin in his residence Novo-Ogarevo. The guest was on a first-name basis with his Russian colleague, and even called him a brother.

"Thank you, president, thank you, brother, thank you for your invitation," Chavez addressed Putin. He exchanged impressions on the meeting with the mayor of Moscow, Yuriy Luzhkov. They both opened Bolivar centre in Moscow. "We talked about major trends in history, and that geopolitical ideas should be returned," Chavez said.

During the talks of Hugo Chavez with Lukashenko he complained that external opponents (USA and EU) interfere with the development of Venezuela-Belarus-Russia warm relationships.

"We have a lot of obstacles and opponents, first of all this is an empire which names us dictators", - has declared Hugo Chaves. "We have brought with ourselves our heat and solidarity with Belarus, it is a part of our own advantage".

Hugo Chaves ascertained successes in realization of two-way deals. In this connection he has told: "If we managed to make so much for a year how much it will be possible to make for twenty years which we shall be at authority " On what Lukashenko has declared, addressing to Chaves: "Please, do not frighten Americans".

So, where is  Hugo Chaves now in the year 2013?

Dictator Lukashenko & His Hypocritical Lies to Reuters

(some comments)

Minsk, Belarus, February 6, 2007

Belarus would like to improve its relations with the West after deterioration of relations with Russia, which had offered "market relations". However, Belarus is indisposed to change of its political system, which had been defined as a condition for partnership demanded by Europe, Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview to Reuters (2/06/2007).

The Belarusian dictator believes political demands of the West leading to his dismissal in the long run are inappropriate, however he would try to show himself as a reliable partner for many years, considering his intention to run for the forth term.

Also dictator Lukashenko criticized the West for wooing the opposition in Belarus, saying his foes were outcasts who had failed in government and lived off foreign donations. As we know the European Union and the United States have halted dialogue and slapped visa bans on top Belarusian officials, saying Lukashenko has rigged elections and illegally imprisoned dissenters. And that's exactly what he and his pocket government did if put all the hypocritical rhetoric aside.

The European Union last November demanded that Lukashenko accept 12 conditions before dialogue could resume. These included holding free elections, releasing political prisoners and allowing freedom of expression.

Lukashenko rejected the "unacceptable" pre-conditions, saying Europe should instead learn from Belarus's policies of creating full employment for its people. Probably, all this "full employment" was subsidized by Russian oil? What Lukashenko's pocket government is going to do now in the year 2007?

The Belarusian "president" accepted in the interview that he was "faced with the need to rule in a tough manner" but said this was the only way to achieve results. Probably, Lenin, Stalin & Hitler were also "faced with the need to rule in a tough manner" killing one person in every 2 minute of their rulings?

Asked if he would run in Belarus's next presidential elections in 2011, the president replied: "May God help me to fulfill in these four years everything I promised the people. If I do that and if my health permits and if I remain the same active, businesslike man ... I have no intention of abandoning political activity. Let me be honest about that." And this is the only HONEST statement from the whole interview.

But, please, Dear Lord, do not help this guy to lead Belarus to political & economic starvation, poverty and misery.