Belarus Feature: Europe Criticises, But Will It Make a Difference?

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe agreed on Wednesday to a statement about “the worrying developments that took place in Belarus following the Presidential elections held on 19 December 2010 [which] raise a number of questions". The Committee asked for "additional information on what basis the presidential candidates, journalists, and human rights activists were arrested in the wake of the elections", demanding their immediate release, and insisted, "Political freedoms should be fully respected.” 

The Committee warned that it "will continue supporting the establishment of closer relations between the Council of Europe and Belarus only on the basis of respect for European values and principles".

Belarussian activists keenly noted that Russia had joined the resolution. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said flatly, "It reflects Russia’s position, as well as the positions of all other members of the Council of Europe.”

European officials, led by the head of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, issued a joint statement proposing "a ban on entry and freezing the assets of Belarusian officials involved in the violent suppression of December 19, 2010. Repeal of these measures should depend on the release of all opposition leaders detained in connection with the events." THey also advocated "increased financial support to Belarusian civil society, independent media and NGOs".

During the debate, Buzek said that the Belarusian authorities to drop charges against those arrested and to those who need medical care, it should be rendered properly.According to the head of the European Parliament, this condition is required if Belarus wishes to have any relations with Europe, the press service.

But will the statements matter? This week the KGB continued its raids on journalists, returning to the apartments of imprisoned journalist Iryna Khalip and her mother, Lyutsina Khalip, taking the journalist's computer. The KGB seized computers, DVDs, flash drives, and recorders from Larisa Shchirokova, who contributes  to the Poland-based satellite channel Belsat. Authorities  revoked the broadcasting license of the popular Belarusian station Autoradio.

In the latest raids, Andrei Poczobut, a Grodno correspondent for the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, was detained, questioned and fined, and freelance reporter Irina Charniauka and Marina Koktysh, a journalist with the opposition daily Narodnaya Volya, were taken in for interrogation. 

Others who were in the Election Day protests on 19 December, having served 10 to 15-day sentences, are being re-arrested.

If the European Union is serious about restricting or suspending economic aid to Minsk, it could have an effect. As an opposition website framed the possibilities, "A Belarusian wishlist of EU-sponsored infrastructure projects --- such as a new Vilnius-Minsk train, a Klaipeda-Minsk-Moscow highway and a liquified gas terminal --- [are] to go in the bin." It adds that "Poland has already drafted a list of 96 people, including Mr Lukashenko and pro-Lukashenko 'propagandists', which it wants the Union to put on a new travel ban list."

However, Belarussian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov was expressing confidence that  Lukashenko as being "not that stupid" as to destroy relations with the EU: "The government worked hard and wide to seek a rapprochement with the EU...and the rapprochement we achieved before the elections was a costly one --- why should the government simply throw that away?"

Martynov added, "We hope the decision of the EU will not be kind of irrevocable or irreversible, not to drive the situation into a cornerr. The events of the night of 19 December will of course have an impact. But this was not an impact sought by the government."