Kubilius: Lukashenka has a chance to get a new face

Euroradio: Should the official Minsk be scared of the Lithuanian Presidency in the European Union, or hope that Vilnius will lobby its interests in Europe?

Andrius Kubilius: Those who fear the success of Lithuania's Presidency in the EU should be scared, together with those who fear the promotion of the "Eastern Partnership" region closer to Europe. Such forces exist in the east of our region - Russia still has the post-imperial syndrome. We see all the geopolitical complexities of the development in our region. But we are ready to do everything to ensure that during our Presidency we move closer to Europe.

Euroradio: How do you assess the prospects of Alyaksandr Lukashenka receiving an invitation to the "Eastern Partnership" summit, which will be held in Vilnius on November 28?

Andrius Kubilius: First of all, the conditions on political prisoners that have been expressed with regard to Belarus earlier should be satisfied, this is principal. However, these conditions are not fulfilled yet.

On the other hand, I think the most important thing about the Vilnius summit - the completed negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova, the South Caucasus countries, the countries that are part of the "Eastern Partnership" and with whom we have held successful negotiations to achieve agreement on the associations and free trade. If this is successfully completed, it will greatly affect the entire geopolitical region. This will indirectly help Belarus to move towards democratic development.

Euroradio: Brussels wants to try to improve relations with the official Minsk. As a leader of the opposition of the country, which is a member of the EU, do you think - it is now possible to attempt to establish this dialogue?

Andrius Kubilius: A dialogue cannot be effective if it is held between the deaf and the dumb. The European Union has expressed a very clear condition for the most effective dialogue. The Belarusian side should hear precisely that the European Union has said, both on the issue of political prisoners and all the other issues. Today, everything lies in the hands of the Belarusian authorities - to continue the dialogue, not avoiding the questions accurately.

Euroradio: As a recent Prime Minister of the country, you will understand the question: does a politician lose face if he agrees to meet the requirements from the outside? I mean Lukashenka and the EU’s demand that he should release and rehabilitate the people he does not consider political prisoners.

Andrius Kubilius: Lose what face? He can get a brand new face. Everything is in his hands!

Euroradio: From the point of view of an opposition politician - how do you feel about the efforts of the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite to make friends with Alyaksandr Lukashenka?

Andrius Kubilius: Sometimes not everyone understands how Lithuania sees its main task in geopolitics. I see no contradiction in what our President is doing. The biggest challenge for us in the first place - as far as possible – is the integration into the EU. So that in this region, we were in the conditions of the strongest security. On the other hand, we want to help the region, which is between us and Russia, to gravitate closer to the EU. It’s a chaotic region, with different problems with democracy, but it should gravitate to Europe. Because in the end it will bring security and stability throughout the region, which we now call the "Eastern Partnership". With such geopolitical objectives, Lithuania is trying to use every opportunity to achieve their goals. Helping, criticizing, working both in Brussels and in the capitals of these countries, but bearing in mind its primary goal to help the region to gravitate closer to the EU. And if as a result of the summit Ukraine moves closer to the EU, if Moldova, or the South Caucasus moves to Europe, this will be the promotion of the region. Then the situation in Belarus will change.

Photo: Zmicier Lukashuk