German press: “Lukashenka issued challenge to Europe. Sanctions against this regime mustn’t be lifted”

• 2.10.2008, 11:49

Western observers were probably more disappointed at the results of the “elections” in Belarus than the Belarusians, German Süddeutsche Zeitung thinks.

Naturally, nobody expects the “elections” to be absolutely free and fair. Neither the OSCE, sending its observers to Belarus, nor the European Union, regarding elections as a test for readiness of the regime for rapprochement with the West, had such hopes. One could hardly suppose that none of the opposition figures gets to the parliament, and Alyaksandr Lukashenka will continue to have reins of power with unconditional support of the parliament, Deutsche Welle quotes the edition.

The regime was expected to give a chance for some of its opponents to embellish a process of the pretended democratisation. Whether the opposition really failed to bring any candidate to victory, or the vote count was fraudulent, it doesn’t matter. The conditions of the election campaign were not so equal, and obstacles for opposition figures on their way to elections were so massive, that even more or less fair vote count would have been unable to balance it.

Most of the Belarusians don’t know what democracy is so far. Where from should they know it? Lukashenka issued a challenge for Europe at these elections and demonstrated that he is interested in closer relations with the European Union only on his own conditions. However, many officials in Brussels require the sanctions to be eased and economic cooperation with Belarus to be expanded. This way is wrong.

It is necessary to continue pressing on Minsk. The Belarusian opposition, not Lukashenka and his oligarchs should be supported by the West. The regime will hardly change ion the nearest time on the initiative of the authorities, and critics of the regime need Europe’s support, Süddeutsche Zeitung writes.