EU OFFERS TO BUY BELARUS FOR $9BN
By Andrew Rettman
Sep 30, 2011, 16:57
Belarus took part in the meeting in the form of an empty chair (Photo:
consilium.europa.eu)
EU leaders have promised authoritarian Belarus President Alexander
Lukashenko $9 billion if he frees political prisoners and holds
normal elections.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk unveiled the offer at a press
event at an EU summit with post-Soviet countries in Warsaw on Friday
(30 September). The money would come in the form of loans from two
EU banks, the EIB and EBRD, and from the International Monetary Fund
in Washington. Lukashenko would not have to step down as part of the
deal. But he would have to free political prisoners and, later on,
hold EU-and-US-recognised elections, which would most likely see
him ejected.
“For the first time we see a situation in which the EU, very decisively
and in a spirit of solidarity, makes help for Belarus conditional
on tangible changes. These are not radical changes. This is the bare
minimum that any European person expects,” Tusk said.
The EU is keen to compete with Russia for influence in Belarus and its
offer comes amid an economic crisis in the former Soviet republic. But
Lukashenko has shown no sign of interest so far.
He refused to send even an ambassador to join the 25-or-so EU and
post-Soviet leaders in Warsaw. The Poles set up an empty chair with a
Belarus name tag to symbolise the offer of friendship despite his snub.
The last time the EU proposed money for reforms – $3 billion in
December – Lukashenko reacted with a massive crackdown on opposition,
which saw police manhandle EU ambassadors on the streets of Minsk. The
last time the IMF lent him money to stabilise the rubel, he spent
part of it on bigger wages for officials in the run-up to elections.
EU countries in Warsaw also signed a declaration condemning Belarus
repression. But the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova
and Ukraine refused to add their names. Diplomats say Georgia feared
revenge in the form of Belarus’ recognition of breakaway provinces.
Ukraine feared trade problems with its neighbour.
EU leaders again warned Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych, who was
in Warsaw, not to jail his political rival, former prime minister
Yulia Tymoshenko, if he wants an EU trade and political association
pact to ever come into life.
The same day in Kiev prosecutors said she should get seven years
for an allegedly illegal gas deal with Russia. Polish diplomats were
worried she might be jailed on the day of the summit. But the judge
put off the verdict until 11 October.
The Warsaw event was designed to promote the Eastern Partnership
policy – a mixed bag of visa and trade pacts, as well as mini-projects
like training post-Soviet civil servants in a new academy in Poland,
designed to pull the countries closer to the West.
Tusk noted that while the summit declaration “acknowledged” the
“European aspirations” of “some” of the six nations, Georgia, Moldova
and Ukraine had hoped for more explicit language on EU accession. “We
don’t today have strong enough signals to say this, neither from the
EU side, nor from the side of our partners,” Tusk explained, referring
to enlargement fatigue and inadequate reforms in the EU aspirants.
For his part, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, speaking alongside Tusk,
made clear that some EU countries see the Eastern Partnership as
preparation for future expansion. “The Eastern Partnership project
will perhaps one day merge with the Balkan project,” he said, referring
to EU commitments to take in former Yugoslav countries.
The summit also made Tusk like an international statesman in the
run-up to Polish elections on 9 October.
EU commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso praised his “exceptional
leadership.” Orban said he was “wonderful and brave.” Tusk’s pro-EU
Civic Platform currently leads the eurosceptic Law and Justice
opposition party by 12 points in polls.
From: A. Papazian
http://euobserver.com/15/113794