Maira Mora: I am ready to beg to release Belarusian political prisoners

- What was the key argument to lift the sanctions from Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey for the European officials? 

- There have been precedents when the sanctions were lifted from the diplomats, as they represent the country in negotiations. 

- Today's discussion was organized to the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit which will take place on November 28-29 in Vilnius. The meeting is called "Belarus-EU relations: the deja-vu in view of November summit". Are there worries that the relations between the EU and the official minsk will stay in the dead end after the summit as well?

- Let us not look too much ahead. However, considering the fact the the neighbouring Lithuania hosts the summit, I hope there will be no dead end, and Belarus will participate in the program (Eastern partnership - Euroradio). I have a great hope that certain preparation work will be done. Or - that certain things will happen that would let Belarus participate in the summit at a rather g=high level. We will discuss this with Mr. Makey.

- Is this the way you express your hope that the situation with Belarusian political prisoners will change for the better by November?

- I really hope so. We think that these people should not be there. Personally, I would do anything - ask, beg. With just one aim - to take the people out of prison. 

- Nevertheless, according to the Belarusian human rights defenders, Belarus has a new political prisoner now - Andrei Haidukou got imprisoned for 1,5 years...

- We are going to see how this situation will develop. There is still an opportunity to appeal against the sentence and to reconsider it. I would be very disappointed if this prisoner is qualified as political prisoner. This repeats the situation that we had before: it's unacceptable to release political prisoners, making new ones at the same time. 

- They say nowadays that the EU and Belarus started making steps towards each other: the EU crossed Makey out of the list of travel banned, and Swedish diplomat arrived to Minsk. However - he's not an Ambassador, he is a chargé d'affaires for Sweden in Belarus. Are these steps towards each other really equal? 

- This is an example of what we discussed with the Belarusian diplomats, Mr. Makey in particular: we must do what we can do. Even small steps or cooperation in the spheres where it is possible - we should stick to it. This is called critical cooperation. In the framework of it, we never stopped sectorial interaction from the both sides, we are pursuing here the projects of mutual assistance or cooperation for development with Belarus, with national coordination, with the authorities' approve of the projects. We do it in order to act, to interact with the Belarusian society. My principle is, the further to the people we can go with our projects and our information the better. We must do the things we can do.

- Lithuania hopes that it can do something major on the way of establishment the relations between the EU and Belarus during the six months of its presidency in the EU. Do you believe this is possible? 

- If Lithuania is ready to work in this direction, we approve that. However, the decision are taken by 28 EU countries (Croatia has become a full-capacity member of the EU on July 1). All of them want the political prisoners to be free and this is the first condition. This is the main obstacle on the way of development of the relations. I don't understand why keeping this obstacle for so long, failing to see that it stands in the way of normal development of the relations. If Lithuania, as an organizer of the Eastern Partnership summit and the EU president, manages to do something considerable in the regulation of the relations and removal of this obstacle by November, we will only greet this.

- Maybe, there have been any signs from the Belarusian side that some of the political prisoners might be released soon?

- The release is not considered a release when it is done due to the so-called natural reasons, which means, released after the term is over. No applause will be there in such case - be sure of that! However, it is obvious that the Belarusian authorities lack political will. I cannot understand why they do it so the destiny of the whole country depends on the destiny of 9 people (9 prisoners recognized by the international community as political prisoners are serving punishment in Belarus now - Euroradio)?! It's necessary to think historically.

- Even the Belarusian human rights defenders think that the EU should stick to the demand to release all political prisoners, but refuse from the demand of their full rehabilitation. What is your opinion on that? 

- Some of your lawyers claim that there is no such legal term as "rehabilitation" in Belarus. However, our position is as follows: if you don't like the word "rehabilitation", let's call it "restoration of all civil and political rights". I would like to quote Shakespeare in this regard "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." This is we attitude we should apply to our demands - not forgetting about the essence. And no one is forgetting.

Photo by: Zmicier Lukashuk