Milinkevich has his will. Sanctions against Lukashenka lifted

• 13.10.2008, 14:40

The Council of the European Union has frozen visa sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka and a number of his officials. Representatives of the French chairmanship in the EU underlined that it should “contribute to democratization of Belarus”. Sanctions against persons involved in disappearances of Lukashenka’s regime’s opponents haven’t been lifted.

As we have informed, the international community suspects of implication in abductions of Belarusian opposition leaders a number of officials: former Interior Minister Yury Sivakou, a former Secretary of the Security Council Viktar Sheiman, Interior Minister Uladzimir Navumau and a former commander of the Interior troops Commander Dzmitry Paulichenka.

Sanctions are suspended against Lukashenka. “he can travel,” noted one of the European diplomats in Luxemburg.

It is known that one of the chief lobbyists for this decision was a former candidate for presidency in Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich, who stated that his main aim is to restore the dialogue between the regime and the West. Now he has reached his aim: in fact the EU encouraged the dictator in response to rigging the election results once again. Milinkevich also was an ardent opponent of the electoral farce’s boycott and supported candidates who were taking part in the elections till the end. Since today Alyaksandr Milinkevich shares responsibility with Lukashenka for all possible repressions against the opposition and civil society in Belarus.