On Wednesday 27 January, the Belarusian democratic opposition called for greater EU support for civil society in its country, asking the West not to forget Belarus. For nearly six months the population has been demonstrating for free and fair elections.
As the repression worsens, “Belarus is not on the (international) agenda as it was in September”, lamented Franak Viačorka, journalist and adviser to the opposition Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, calling for his country to be back on the international agenda. “We must ensure that the situation is always discussed at the highest level”, he added during a debate organised by ECFR on ‘The EU and Belarus in 2021’.
“We ask the world to listen to us and help us to not let political prisoners down”, argued Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, estimating that there are nearly 200 in the country currently. “The Belarusians do not need more sacrifices, Europe does not need more ghettos, the world does not need more concentration camps”, she added, while, according to Mr Viačorka, the regime is reportedly building such camps for demonstrators. “Political transformation can only take place with the support of the EU, the US and other nations. The West must speak with one voice regarding the political crisis in Belarus”, added the political opponent.
More than words, opponents expect action, including new sanctions.
Strengthening sanctions
“The reaction of the international community has been very modest. The sanctions are much less severe than after the 2010 elections, which were much less repressed”, regretted Mrs Tikhanovskaya. And to hope that “the fourth package of sanctions will be adopted as quickly as possible. It is crucial to put pressure on those who violate human rights and to target public officials and businessmen”.
For Mr Viačorka, the European sanctions - 88 people and seven entities - are “a joke” and “the fourth package must be much more significant”. According to him, while the opposition is doing its utmost to keep the protest peaceful, saying that we must wait for sanctions to put pressure on the regime, some groups would like more radical action. “The more time is lost (in adopting effective sanctions), the more likely it is that protests will become violent”, he warned.
Support for civil society
Beyond sanctions, Mrs Tikhanovskaya and Mr Viačorka called for increased support for civil society. “It is important to avoid bureaucracy, because the population needs support now”, said the former.
Lawrence Meredith, Director for Neighbourhood East at the European Commission’s DG NEAR, explained that the European Commission was trying to ensure that aid arrived as quickly as possible. “We want to give the Belarusian people all the support we can”, he promised, adding that the EU was doing everything possible to ensure that there was no bureaucracy or delay.
The Polish Undersecretary of State, Marcin Przydacz, pushed for the rapid presentation of the Comprehensive Economic Support Plan for a Democratic Belarus, agreed in October (see EUROPE 12579/1). “We are still waiting for the Commission to present the document. 7 February is the day of solidarity with Belarus, it would be the perfect symbolic moment”, he said. According to Mr Meredith, the Commission is “working hard to finalise the plan”.
For Mrs Tikhanovskaya, it is also important to establish a high-level investigative body and to establish a process for collecting evidence of violence and repression. She was supported by Mr Przydacz, who called for the creation of an accountability mechanism.
For his part, Lithuanian Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced that prosecutors from his country were examining cases in Belarus, calling on other European countries to do the same. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)