Stanislau Shushkevich: “Propaganda uses this visit against democracy in Belarus”

Invitation of Lukashenka to Prague is good for the dictatorship, former head of Belarus thinks.

Former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich commented on invitation of the Belarusian dictator to the Eastern Partnership summit in Prague to the Charter’97 press center. As Radio Svaboda reports, according to the secret agreement, Lukashenka will be invited to Prague, but he won’t appear there on May 7 and will send the foreign minister or another official instead.

“If the information spread by Radio Svaboda is true, this is an acceptable variant. But it is obvious that Lukashenka doesn’t follow any recommendations. Europe hopes to see a well-mannered civilized man. But these are vain hopes. He will go there, find open or two persons, who like him, they will be shown on Belarusian television, this will be interpreted as recognition of Lukashenka by Europe. This, as well as the recent actions by the European officials, will be good for the dictatorship, not for the people of Belarus,” Stanislau Shushkevich believes.

“Europe apparently doesn’t know how to deal with Belarus and doesn’t take necessary approaches. Let it give notices to Russia, which in fact enforced dictatorship upon the country and allowed Lukashenka to have undivided rule. But they are shy to do this! They have pragmatic interests. A moral aspect was pushed to the sidelines long ago. European officials today don’t hear such moral gurus as Vaclav Havel or Maxime Verhagen, who say that one mustn’t cooperate with dictators. And this is very sad,” former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus said.