MEP: Belarus to become Russia's province soon
Lithuanian MEP Egidius Vareikis tells Euroradio why they don't want to coperate with the newly elected House of Representatives.
Euroradio: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe discusses the Belarusian issue today. PACE rapporteur on Belarus Andres Herkel has expressed regret that Belarus did not fulfill many OSCE commitments. What can be the consequences of such an assessment of the Parliamentary Assembly of the situation in Belarus?
Egidius Vareikis: We have the following opinion in the Parliamentary Assembly: there are two ways before Belarus - either to try and meet at least the minimum conditions and to join the Council of Europe, or to say: "Belarus is not interested in that, we do not care what they say."
As for the election, I think that Lukashenka chose the second path. They do not care what we say, what we prove. We say that there was no election - it was a play with the "people like the Father" plot, and nothing more. Thus it is clear that the official Minsk decided not to enter the European structures. The only European country! And we know it. As for the question whether this would be good or bad for Belarus, I think it would be bad. If the country is isolated from Europe, it will move to Asia, to Russia. And I believe that the country named Belarus will soon cease to exist – it will be a new province of Russia.
Euroradio: Do such moods among the PACE members mean that the structure will not have any relationship with the new Belarusian parliament?
Egidius Vareikis: We want Belarus to become a European country. But the regime does not want it. Well, what should we do?
Euroradio: The foreign ministers of the EU will consider the Belarusian issue in two weeks. Do you think that the opinions regarding the Belarusian issue at today's PACE session will be considered by the ministers during the adoption of the decision about Belarus?
Egidius Vareikis: The ministers always pay attention to what we say.
Euroradio: Do you think that Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey will be no longer banned from entering the EU countries?
Egidius Vareikis: I think that this question is formal: to ban or not to ban. His hands are tied anyway. If the regime does not want to cooperate with the West, then what he could do – bring us to the West some letters from Lukashenka? It is not interesting. I think that the foreign affairs of Belarus will be mostly connected with the East.
Photo: http://www.respublika.lt
