Head of the Belarusian Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna wants the names of the EU countries representatives to be crossed off the list of OCSE mission poll observers.
«Why should we let their representatives enter our country? Every time we … gave out observer mandates to all EU countries ambassadors accredited in Minsk in spite of them not being members of the OCSE mission. It was a gesture of good will. And it was me, blacklisted since 2004, who repeatedly initiated it! I have no idea what for should we make such fine gestures if people are not able to appreciate them,» Lidziya Yarmoshyna stated. In her opinion, EU member countries demonstrate their ingratitude by imposing sanctions and visa limitations towards Belarus.
As political analyst Alexander Klaskouski mentions, it is the Belarusian president who will either permit or forbid the participation of foreign observers in the course of the oncoming parliamentary elections. But it is no coincidence that Lidziya Yarmoshyna has floated a trial baloon. «It is relevant to the range of resources which Lukashenka promised Europe in response to expanding sanctions,» the expert says.
According to the analyst, the Belarusian authorities are not ready to bring about a real political change. But some burning problems (release of the political prisoners, European observers participating in the elections, etc.) might well become aspects of possible political bargaining with the West, Alexander Klaskouski stresses.
Belsat
