29 March 2024, Friday, 17:51
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Bundestag Member: Lukashenka Realizes His Era Is Over

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Bundestag Member: Lukashenka Realizes His Era Is Over
PHOTO: DW

There is a very courageous civil society in Belarus.

Member of the Bundestag from the Union-90 / Greens party, member of the German-Belarusian parliamentary group Margarete Bause commented on the agreement on visa regime facilitation between the EU and Belarus for Deutsche Welle, explained what Germany can and should do to improve the human rights situation in Belarus, and also evaluated the likelihood of a “color revolution” there.

- Madam Bauze, when was the last time you were in Minsk, and what are your impressions of that trip?

- I was in Minsk in early February. And I got the impression that great hopes and expectations reigned there with regard to Europe as a whole and Germany in particular. And this concerns not only economic cooperation, but also democratic reforms, changes in the field of human rights and the rule of law. I had very lively meetings with human rights defenders and representatives of the opposition. And in their circles there were high hopes that Europe would support the process of democratization in the country.

- Where does this hope come from after so many years of strict state control?

- It seems to me that the source of these hopes is that people see what freedoms they enjoy in the West. And in Belarus there is a very courageous civil society that does not allow itself to be intimidated. And it does receive international support.

The European Union, whose core values are human rights and the rule of law, is becoming increasingly active in the area of human rights violations in Belarus, the death penalty in the country, and the role of Aliaksandr Lukashenka. And we are responsible for meeting these expectations.

- How do you assess the facilitation of the visa regime between the EU and Belarus in this context?

- I regard this as an incorrect signal. The essence of the agreements is that, as one of the measures, deportations of citizens back to Belarus will be resumed (in accordance with the readmission agreement - edit.).

And if people try here in the West to escape persecution in their homeland, I cannot regard this (the possibility of deportations - edit.) as a positive step. Germany and the EU should behave much more consistently with regard to compliance with human rights standards in Belarus.

- What can and what should Germany and the EU do to improve the human rights situation in Belarus?

- The most important thing at the moment is the demand for free and fair elections, as well as the release of political prisoners. And the admission of independent observers from the OSCE. And if all these requirements are not met, you will need to think about canceling the visa agreement, as well as, probably, imposing sanctions.

- Why is the German government so reluctant to comment on the situation in Belarus on the eve of the so-called presidential election?

- I also have the impression that the German Foreign Ministry is very restrained in its statements on the violation of human rights in Belarus and in calls for observing democratic standards and holding free and fair elections.

Such a line has strategic reasons - probably in Berlin they don’t want to put too much pressure on Belarus given its intermediate position between the EU and Russia. But it seems to me that, taking into account the hopes among the citizens of Belarus with regard to the EU, we should be much stronger in demanding compliance with our European standards. And take the side of human rights activists in Belarus.

- How do you assess the situation with the collection of signatures in support of the nomination of alternative candidates for the presidency of Belarus?

- These are all mechanisms on the part of Lukashenka aimed at preventing the elections from being fair and free. And to take advantage and put pressure on rivals, as well as to intimidate the civil society in order to stay in power. And for me personally, all these intrigues with signatures is another step to prevent free elections.

- Some German observers say that free elections in Belarus are impossible and that the winner is already known. Do you agree with this assessment?

- I would not want to give up all hopes from the very beginning. It seems to me that especially now, a few weeks before the vote, Europe should clearly state its position. And, again, to demand free and fair elections with independent observers, as well as the immediate release of political prisoners.

- And how realistic is it that the EU will come up with such demands?

- From today (July 1 - edit.), Germany has become the chairman of the EU Council. And I believe that this is one of the tasks of Germany in this role - to advocate for the observance of our common European values. Belarus is called the “last dictatorship of Europe”, and we cannot be indifferent to what is happening in the neighborhood. It seems to me that we need to support the democratic opposition not only in Hong Kong, but also in Belarus.

- But the German government has other concerns now - the pandemic, and the economic crisis ...

- Yes, but human rights are the foundation of our civilized coexistence. And it doesn’t matter in which country - all over the world. So it is impossible to to let human rights fall into the shadow of the pandemic - we see that in the context of a pandemic, human rights are massively violated, especially in Belarus with its dramatic consequences of the pandemic.

- Why is Lukashenka so nervous on the eve of the so-called election?

- Because he sees that he has lost the support of the population. And the more authoritarian he begins to act, and the more aggressive he is trying to suppress any democratic competition.

And we know from the experience of other authoritarian regimes - the weaker the support, the more aggressively they behave. This is just a sign that the era of Lukashenka has long ended. And all the more important is the EU’s support for the country's democratic forces.

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