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Mikalai Statkevich To Ukrainians: Do Not Believe Lukashenka With His Help

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Mikalai Statkevich To Ukrainians: Do Not Believe Lukashenka With His Help
MIKALAI STATKEVICH

Belarusian troops cannot serve as peacekeepers in Donbas.

In September, the governments of the Russian Federation and Belarus agreed on a program of economic integration of the two countries, which provides for partial unification of their economic systems until January 2021. The program, in particular, provides for creating unified Tax and Civil Codes and a single foreign trade regime, centralized regulation of the fuel sector and other industries. The situation in Belarus was discussed by journalists of the Ukrainian website expres.online with the presidential candidate from the Belarusian National Congress Mikalai Statkevich.

- Now there is a campaign in the country on the occasion of the so-called parliamentary elections. They don't count ballots at the "elections" because the results are known in advance. Therefore, the election commissions declare those appointed by the authorities the winners, while observers have no right to control the counting of ballots.

But the pre-election period gives a little more freedom, because usually it is impossible for the opposition to get permission from the authorities to hold mass events. And if such permission is given by the authorities, then the place of holding the rally may become, for example, some section of a park where people walk dogs. Violators of the bans are punished, and may even be thrown behind bars. I was arrested for 15 days for calling to pray near the church when the authorities broke crosses on the graves of victims of the Stalinist regime in Kurapaty.

- And what happened at Freedom Square in Minsk on Sunday?

- I took advantage of the election campaign and organized a rally. About 350 people gathered. In total, I have held 20 such rallies all over Belarus. In Minsk, we stood up for the independence of Belarus and against its integration with Russia. One of our slogans was "While You Were Asleep, Luka Sold Your Motherland!"

By the way, today Lukashenka's anti-rating makes up 90%, especially in the regions. But the mass media controlled by the authorities convince people that everyone supports him.

- And how does Belarus react to the possible integration of the country with Russia?

- 55 percent of Belarusians support the union with Russia. We are talking about the preservation of relations, which exist between the two countries nowadays. That is, there is no border, Belarusian enterprises have access to the Russian markets. Today the Belarusian industry is mainly focused on Moscow, a little bit on Ukraine and other CIS countries. It is not competitive in the EU. Belarusians understand that without Russian subsidies, which now make up 12 percent of GDP, the model of the country's economy, created by Lukashenka, will be destroyed in a few months.

25 percent of Belarusians are for integration with the EU, and less than one and a half percent of citizens are for joining Russia. But now the situation is such that Russia offers to annex the country in return for the money, given to Lukashenka. I hope that the Belarusians will not allow this.

- Is Lukashenko ready to resist this?

- He shouts that he will never betray the country's independence. But these are only words. After all, he does nothing for real protection of the country. For example, he does not introduce economic reforms that would make the country's economy competitive. Every year Putin raises the cost of oil for Belarus. And all exports of Belarus to the EU countries are oil products made of Russian oil. If it is expensive, the production of petrol and diesel will become unprofitable.

Therefore, Lukashenka will soon have to agree to integration with Russia or face a social revolt. Sooner or later Putin will wear him down in this matter. Therefore, our patriots should be prepared to defend the independence of the country.

Behind the beautiful façade of Belarus there is poverty and, in fact, despair of its citizens. And when we learn that someone in Ukraine is fond of Lukashenka, calls him "batka," we want to put the forefinger to the temple and twist it. Are you crazy, Ukrainians?

- Recently, Lukashenka has been trying to become a peacekeeper in the war between Ukraine and Russia. Do you think we should trust him?

- Thus, Lukashenka is trying to get additional trumps in conversations with Putin, wants to show him his influence so that he can at least leave Belarus with nominal independence. Stuff like independent Belarusian troops will carry out a peacekeeping mission in Donbas.

However, in fact, Vladimir Putin is the number one politician in the Belarusian army. Because the military and law enforcement agencies have been brought up in the ideology of the Russian world. They advocate integration with Russia, believe Putin more than Lukashenka.

This is a trouble for Belarus, as its army has not fallen apart, as it was with the Ukrainian army in 2014, but it is not Belarusian. Therefore, I would advise not to believe Lukashenka with his alleged help to Ukraine as peacemakers. Since you can get in big trouble.

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