Belarusian political analyst Alexander Shpakovsky presented arguments in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks about foreign support for the protest movement in Belarus and suggested what goals are pursued by those who control the “puppet” opposition representatives in the republic.
The statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the support of the opposition to Belarus from abroad is absolutely fair, believes the Belarusian political analyst Alexander Shpakovsky.
Earlier Thursday, Putin said at a press conference that the Belarusian opposition is supported by foreign forces, but nothing good ever comes of it. The Russian leader also noted that the people of Belarus should be given the opportunity to independently deal with their issues, resolve them in a calm manner.
“The assessment of Putin seems to me absolutely fair and consistent with the reality that has developed in Belarus. The past presidential campaign in Belarus was characterized by gross intervention of external forces. A number of persons who ran as presidential candidates not only enjoyed financial, political and informational support from foreign states, but even now they are on their territory. They are trying to artificially create the appearance of some legitimate representatives of Belarus. For some unknown reason, these opposition figures meet with the leaders of foreign states, speak in the EU legislative bodies…, call for economic and political harm to our country”, – said Shpakovsky RIA Novosti on Thursday.
According to the analyst, politicians who are instruments of external intervention are not independent, they are “puppet figures”.
“And, of course, for Vladimir Putin – a person who has not only got vast experience in public administration, but also serious international training, it is quite obvious that foreign states cannot pursue the development goals of this or that country”, – the source said.
Shpakovsky explained that, first of all, any state pursues tasks related to its own national interests, therefore, when the West “finances, directs and directs certain Belarusian politicians”, these actions are aimed not at improving the situation in Belarus, but at achievement of other tasks in the field of international relations and in the economy.
“Since things went wrong with the change of the regime (in Belarus – ed.), now they are trying to inflict any economic harm by means of sanctions pressure. Russia itself has been facing foreign interference in politics for many years, with sanctions from Western countries, so Putin says about the Belarusian situation, we understand things”, – the expert is sure.
He also considers important the statement of the President of the Russian Federation that the issues of further development of the country should be decided only by the Belarusian people.
“In this case, this opinion is fully consistent with the interests of Minsk that no one has the right to interfere in the internal political agenda of Belarus and it will deal with the contradictions that have arisen in society on its own”, – Shpakovsky added.
After the presidential elections held in Belarus on August 9, in which Alexander Lukashenko won for the sixth time, who, according to the CEC, gained 80.1% of the vote, massive opposition protests began in the country. Protest actions continue to this day, the most massive – on Sundays. Law enforcement officials say about the radicalization of the protests in Belarus and about their movement from the streets to the courtyards of residential buildings. Meanwhile, Western countries, in particular, the EU states, imposed personal sanctions against a number of Belarusian officials, calling them responsible for the violence against protesters and falsification of the presidential election results. At the same time, the EU is completing the preparation of the next package of sanctions on Belarus.
The Belarusian authorities have repeatedly stated that the protests are being coordinated from abroad. Lukashenko accused the West of direct interference in the situation in the republic, noted that the unrest is directed by the United States, and the Europeans “play along” with it. Among the countries from which protest actions are coordinated, Lukashenko named Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Ukraine. The embassies of Poland and Lithuania, at the request of Minsk, were forced to reduce the staff of their embassies in Belarus.