It is the first time in three years that Alyaksandr Lukashenka has visited a EU member state. In Austria, the Belarusian delegation focused on raising investment and developing the economic cooperation, Belsat TV special correspondent Ihar Kuley reports.
“Lukashenka invited Austrian businessmen to Belarus, promising that they would not regret. The Belarusian leader hopes that the memorandums signed will evolve into specific projects. By the moment, there has been only information about the agreement with the Austrian network A1 to establish a 5G infrastructure in Belarus,” Kuley said.
In turn, the Austrian side has repeatedly raised the questions of the death penalty abolition and human rights situation in Belarus.
In February 2016, in the wake of the latest presidential elections in Belarus, the European Union decided to lift its sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka and 169 Belarusian officials cancelling the visa ban and assets freeze. So, the Belarusian leader has been free to come to any European city.
In May 2016, he visited Italy and the Vatican where he met with Pope Francis. Since then, however, the politician does not seem to be in hurry to travel around Europe.
Belsat.eu
