Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at an international donors' conference "Solidarity with Belarus" on February 2 that Belarus would receive €87 million from all the participating countries, while €1.7 million would be allocated to help the affected oppositionists and their families, as well as the media.
In turn, according to Telegraph correspondent in Warsaw, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fule, said that it is important to immediately achieve stability in Belarus. According to him, the West will hold another meeting on the situation in Belarus in late February — early March.
Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi noted that the event, taken place in Poland, was «unequivocal message for Belarus.» «I know how difficult it is for the country to move from a dictatorship to a functioning society. We must act, we cannot remain passive, seeing what’s going on next door,» he stressed.
At the same time, the U.S. State Department spokesman noted that despite the U.S. and EU’s joint work, «it’s not so easy.» «We must impose sanctions simultaneously,» he said.
EU to Increase Support to Belarusian Civil Society in 4 Times
«Our policy is working. Lukashenko has not won the elections, the opposition has got stronger,» said Radoslaw Sikorski.
Meanwhile, according to Telegraph correspondent in Warsaw, the Polish minister said that the outcome of the presidential election in Belarus was disturbing. «President Lukashenko does not want to renounce the use of repression against his opponents. There have been more repressions against the opposition in the country, there has been more of Lukashenko,» said diplomat.
According to him, Poland wants the elections in Belarus to be held in compliance with minimum European standards, since Belarus is «undoubtedly a part of the European society.» «If Europe does not realize it, this is the problem of the European society then,» said the politician.
Radoslaw Sikorski has also pledged to support civil society in Belarus: to facilitate the visa regime, to support independent media and academic institutions. According to him, €10 million is planned to allocate for this purpose. «The day will come, and Belarus will erect a monument to those, opposing the regime. Belarus! Europe and Poland with you!» Foreign Minister of Poland summed up.
It’s Necessary to Establish Internal Dialogue with Authorities, Milinkevich
In turn, the leader of the Movement «For Freedom!» Alexander Milinkevich said that «terror, seizure and confiscation» can be seen in Belarus today. «All the democratic candidates’ detention on Election Day is a fact for the Guinness Book of Records. The most important thing for us today is to free people from prison,» said the opposition leader.
The politician explains the ongoing events in the country by the fact that Alexander Lukashenko is frightened: «scared of elections, statements of candidates in TV debates, so many people in the Square.» «So he decided on such steps, he decided to completely control the country and society even at the expense of relations with Europe,» said Alexander Milinkevich.
As he believes, political, economic and other methods may change the situation in Belarus. «The European Commission is creating a road map about Belarus. It is important to include a requirement to establish an internal dialogue with the authorities. The opposition should be part of the country’s leadership. Today we, the opposition, are sharply criticizing the government, but we have to become an alternative instead,» said the presidential candidate at the elections in 2006.
Also, Alexander Milinkevich called on the EU to simplify visas regim, as well as to reduce their cost for Belarusian citizens, as today «there is Berlin Wall between Brest and Belostok, and it’s not Lukashenko, who has created it.» He also appealed to those countries that had never assisted the Belarusian opposition. «For example, Portugal knows nothing what dictatorship is. Well, give a couple of scholarships to some students. This very student might become the president of Belarus in a few years,» the politician said.
Lukashenko Worse than Milosevic, Swedish Foreign Minister
Alexander Milinkevich was followed by the Foreign Minister of Estonia, who offered scholarships for Belarusian students for further education. «We’re open to ideas that will help develop civil society in Belarus,» said Urmas Paet.
Unlike Alexander Milinkevich and Radoslaw Sikorski, who spoke from the podium, all the rest addressed the audience from their places. Thus, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi said that the Belarusian authorities should accept the existence of opposition in the country and release those, arrested on political grounds. He also promised to keep on inviting community organizations to NGO forums.
In turn, the Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt expressed his regret for having to be present at the conference. «I wish I weren’t here. If it were not for the events of December 19, we could have spend this time more usefully,» he said.
The Minister noted that Alexander Lukashenko’s actions were much worse than those of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic at the elections in 2000. «We need to better support civil society in Belarus. We used to have €11 million program for Belarus in the past. We may help the artists, small businesses and others on a larger scale,» the minister said, noting that 60 Belarusian students were currently studying in different universities in Sweden.
Sanctions — Counterproductive, French Foreign Minister
Head of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Senate of Canada Raynel Andreychuk addressed the conference a well, condemning the use of force on December 19 and calling for the release of all the detained opposition members. On behalf of Canada, she pledged to grant one-time $400 thousand to various projects, and allocate $300 thousand annually to support civil society in Belarus.
The representatives of Denmark also pledged money, while Germany pledged to increase support to the civil society in Belarus to €6.7 million in 2011. At the same time, the representative of France said he did not consider sanctions against the Belarusian authorities to be useful. «We need to think about the future. Penalties are counter-productive measures,» he said.
Delegate to the conference from Hungary, expressing solidarity with Belarus, said that Budapest would not be able to support the Belarusian opposition due to financial and economic problems. «Europe can not be strong without Belarus. Europe is weak without Belarus!» he said.
Relations with Belarus Can’t Be the Same, Latvia
The Latvian representative said that relations between the EU and Belarus could no longer be the same, and the «Belarusian authorities should be aware of this.» However, he believes that one should establish a direct dialogue with Minsk, as «only this can bring results.» He also noted that Latvia was ready to contribute to the strengthening of democratic society in Belarus, first of all, by helping students and independent educational institutions.
A delegate from Lithuania, in turn, noted that the Belarus people were in need of solidarity. Vilnius is the closest in distance to Belarus among the other European capitals,» he stressed.
Spain Hopes the Belarusian Children to Become Bullfighters
The representative of Slovakia also called for the release of detained opposition members and financial assistance to their families. The representative of Spain Francisco Fernandez Fabergas said that his country was pleased to host children from Belarus. «I hope, one of them will grow and become a bullfighter,» he said, thus becoming the first conference participant to joke.
Britain Ready to Take Belarus Back to Europe
Lori Bristol, representing Britain, said that her country had already spent £0.25 million on support of the Belarusian civil society. At the same time Britain is realistic about «the complexities of building a civil society in Belarus.» «The most important thing is that we have suggested civil options in our statement to resolve the situation,» the diplomat said.
«If Belarus decides to come back into the European society, we are happy to accept it,» said Lori Bristol.
The U.S. State Department spokesman Daniel Russell highlighted the fact that «the international community says harmoniously with one voice.» According to him, the purpose of sanctions against Belarus is to «demand from the Belarusian government to cease repression of its people.» He noted that the U.S. would continue to support the democratic parties and movements in Belarus, as well as independent media, by allocating $4 million for this purpose.
The conference was also attended by the representatives of Italy, Cyprus, Moldova and Switzerland. Russian representatives were not seen at the conference.
