BRATISLAVA, July 9, (SITA)- „We believe that this is the beginning of the end,“ activists from Belarus have said during their visit to Slovakia taking place at the invitation of the Slovak Foreign Ministry and the Pontis foundation. The visit is part of the Slovak official development aid project. They are paying visit here just when efforts towards a change are growing in the country. Slovak Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda met with independent analyst and political scientist Pavol Usov, editor-in-chief of the Belarusian internet magazine 34.mag.net Irina Vidanovova and manager of the Belarus Public Policy foundation Anastasia Klimovochova.
Activists from Belarus gave high marks to Slovakia’s attitude to the Belarusian problem. „Slovakia did a lot,“ said Vidanovova appreciating the fact that Slovakia helps Belarus‘ democratization process more than other countries. It is because she believes that both countries share common experience. „For Slovakia is much simpler to comprehend what we feel and what we are undergoing. Older European countries such as Germany, France or Spain understand our problems but do not feel it,“ she said.
Also Usov appreciated Slovak diplomacy’s attitude to the Belarusian undemocratic regime. „It is of great importance that Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic develop efforts to influence other European countries as there exists no single European policy towards Belarus. According to him, Spain and Italy take own positions, Britain turns a blind eye on the Belarusian problem and Germany sometimes supports Belarusian activists and sometimes not. European countries exactly understand what an undemocratic society means and therefore it is very important that these countries press European states to agree on a joint strategy regarding the problem.
Dzurinda expressed hope at the meeting that the situation in Belarus will change. “That day will come, the nation will and the country will change,“ he said. Slovakia has to consider further steps but Dzurinda believes that Belarus is on the right path. Slovakia will have to continue developing pressure on the regime of Lukashenko to understand that the policy when people end up in prison only because they want freedom and want to freely express their opinion is unacceptable for Slovakia.
SITA