No IMF Loan for Belarus Because Political Prisoners Do Not Want to Be Free?
IMF's Chris Jarvis sceptical about reforms in Belarus
If Russia does not increase the amount of subsidies to Belarus, Lukashenka will have to accept the proposals of the Ministry of Economy and the National Bank: to privatize (or rather, to carry out the nomenklatura privatization of) one third of the state-owned enterprises and to cut government expenditure significantly. This would mean a reduction in the scope of state regulation of the economy. If the official information about the significant increases in Belarusian exports in EU countries turns out to be true, the IMF loan is not a must-have for Lukashenka's regime.
The economic changes (if they occur) on their own will not change the vital characteristics of the political regime in Belarus in the long-term. Lukashenka has no intention of releasing political prisoners. The authorities intend to hold the parliamentary elections no later than September 2012 in accordance with the existing scenario of total falsification: none of the opposition activists will get elected to the parliament.
Fundamentally, Lukashenka is satisfied with the model of relations which is now de-facto proposed by the West: restricted political contacts alongside an increase in the Belarusian exports. The Belarusian ruler wants to show to the West that he is here for the long-term, and that they should deal with him as he is now.
No IMF Loan Because Political Prisoners Do Not Want to Be Free?
On October 17, the IMF mission completed its work in Belarus. Head of the mission Chris Jarvis said that the IMF was not yet ready to negotiate the allocation of a new loan with the Belarusian authorities. "Before program negotiations can begin, the authorities must demonstrate a clear commitment to stability and reform and reflect this commitment in their actions".
Mr. Jarvis named economic reforms among such actions. In particular, the Belarusian authorities should liberalize pricing, carry out the transformation of enterprises, privatization and reforms of the banking sector.
Chairperson of the National Bank Nadziezhda Yermakova said that she did not count on receiving the IMF loan. According to her, Belarus met the economic conditions for the allocation of the loan; however, the key demand of the IMF Board of Directors is the release of political prisoners.
Yermakova said that the main problem is that those whom the West calls political prisoners (in particular, former presidential candidates Andrej Sannikau and Mikalaj Statkievich, coordinatioor of the civil organization "Charter-97" Zmicier Bandarenka, and co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Paval Sieviaryniec) do not want to leave prison.
After December 19 2010, Lukashenka said repeatedly that the political prisoners would be released. He said: "They'll give a number of answers to a number of questions, and they'll be free". On October 7, in an interview with Russian journalists, Lukashenka said that Sannikau, Statkievich and others did not want to be released because they wanted to be heroes.
It follows from Lukashenka's statements that he sees the agreement of the political prisoners not to behave as heroes as a condition of their release. He wants them to go to pieces, and to discredit themselves with statements which are demanded from them.
According to some information, political prisoners have been tortured. Andrej Sannikau's wife, journalist Iryna Khalip, said a few days ago that criminals were used to put pressure on him in prison.
Trade Growth with the EU Countries
Lukashenka has reason to believe that no matter how hard he is criticized by the West, the West will not put real pressure on him because it is afraid of pushing him towards Russia. Besides, several companies from EU countries have interests in Belarus.
On October 16, the National Statistical Committee published data on Belarus' foreign trade. In January – August 2011, turnover with the EU countries increased by 76.4% and amounted to USD 15,498,100,000.
Of the total volume of Belarusian exports, the EU countries' share amounted to 38.1%, Russia's share to 35.3%, and other CIS countries' share to 14.1%.
The Netherlands, which criticizes Lukashenka harshly, kept their position as the main trade partner of Belarus among the EU countries. Belarus exported to the Netherlands goods worth USD 3,629,800,000 (2.3 times more that in January – August 2010) and imported from the Netherlands goods worth USD 273,100,000 (up 66.4%).
Like the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, which also heard a lot from Lukashenka to their address, have significantly increased imports of Belarusian petroleum products.
Belarus exported to Germany goods worth USD 1,211,100,000 (4 times more) and imported from them goods worth USD 1,633,700,000 (up 16.9%). Exports to Poland amounted to USD 433,800,000 (up 36.5%), and imports from Poland amounted to USD 1,374,900,000 (up 46.8%).
In fact, the actual conduct of the EU countries differs from their declarations that the Belarusian regime should be punished for violations of human rights in Belarus.
Andrei Liakhovich
Andrei Liakhovich is a contributing author. He directs the Center for Political Education in Minsk.
Civil Society Platform, Republican Social Forum held in Belarus – Civil Society Digest
Conference of the Belarusian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society, unsuccessful legal challenge of new laws restricting civil society activities were among the main developments last week.
Conference of the Belarusian National Platform. On October 29, Conference of the Belarusian National Platform of the EaP CSF "Civil society of Belarus: on the eve of the third annual meeting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum" was held in Minsk. According to the adopted Memorandum, the purpose of National Platform is to strengthen the institutional capacity of civil society organizations to influence the processes of democratization of the country, the Belarusian-European cooperation, agenda for reforms in Belarus towards European standards in all spheres of society. The National Platform elected an interim Steering Committee, headed by Vladimir Mackievich. Ales Byalyatsky was elected Honorary member of the Committee.
Public Statement of members of National Civil Society Platform. The leaders of a number of NGOs issued a public statement cautioning against politicization of Belarusian National Platform of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, which they see in the proposed 2012 Strategy. In their statement leaders of 13 NGOs express support for the National Platform as a platform for communication and dialogue towards modernization of Belarus and its European integration. The signatories include Belarusian Association of Journalists, Belarusian Institute of Strategic Studies, Human Rights Center "Viasna" and others.
Republican Social Forum in Homel. On October 24-25, Republican Social Forum "Authority-Business-NGOs: Together Improving the Quality of Life" was held in Homel. Among the organizers there were Gomel regional executive committee, International Education Center (IBB), NGO ACT, etc. The number of participants was about 200 representatives of government agencies and NGOs, as well as German and Italian partners. The main idea of the forum became the important role of NGOs in social work, the need for a mechanism of social contracting and the need to change legislation.
Forum of International Youth Projects in Hrodna. On November 24-26, Grodno will host the 1st Forum of International Youth Projects «U-Active: Networking for developing youth projects». The Forum is organized by an informal association of students of Hrodna University «Youth-In-Club». The forum name «U-Active» has a threefold meaning: “you active”, “active youth” and “active University”.
Civil society groups petition Constitutional Court over controversial draft laws. On October 24, twenty-six civil society groups have petitioned the Constitutional Court over controversial draft laws that would extend the powers of the Committee for State Security (KGB), introduce additional restrictions on street protests and tighten penalties for political and civil society groups receiving foreign aid. The petitioners included, among others, Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Legal Transformation Center, movement “For Freedom”, etc.
Constitutional Court endorses controversial amendments. Constitutional Court of Belarus upheld amendments to the law of mass actions and laws governing political activity. The decision was adopted on October 28. The bills toughening the rules for public events, as well as the conditions for political parties and NGOs were adopted by the House of Representatives on October 03 in two readings at a closed meeting for the media. The Upper House of parliament approved the document on October 21.
Perspektiva NGO has once again petitioned the President's Administration about the problem of hiring employees. According to its chairman Anatoly Shumchenko, "Perspective" proposes to abolish all restrictions on the hiring of employees by individual entrepreneurs. Currently individual entrepreneurs can hire only close relatives.
About a thousand people celebrated Dzyady (Forefathers). On October 30, in Minsk the Conservative Christian Party held a march to Kurapaty, where for the years of Stalinist terror more than 200 thousand people were killed. Among the participants there were many young people, including activists of the Young Front, the civil campaign "European Belarus", Belarusian Christian Democracy, etc. Since the action was sanctioned by authorities, the police did not intervene in the proceedings.
The campaign "Free visa!" prepares volunteers to work in Belarus. Belarus Watch (Lithuania) under the campaign "Free visa!" conducted by a coalition of Belarusian and European NGOs starts recruitment of volunteers who will promote the campaign in Belarus. Participants will be invited for trainings in Belarus and Lithuania for the organization of civil activity.
ALDA starts mini grant program in Belarus. ALDA and its Belarusian partners Lev Sapieha Foundation and the Belarusian Organization of Working Women (BOWW) are now officially starting the TANDEM project. The project starts with a call for mini grants and partnership projects for promoting sustainable development in Belarus. The mini grants are open for Belarusian NGOs and municipalities. The mini grants for the civic initiatives are up to 4,000 Euro and for partnership projects up to 8,000 Euro.
International Business Forum. On November 16, Minsk will host the First International Forum of Business under the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Belarus. The International Business Forum will be held in open discussions with representatives from government, Belarusian and foreign experts and professionals in business, policy and education. The official representative of the Global Week in Belarus is Center of business communications BELBIZ.
Belarus Digest prepared this overview on the basis of materials provided by Pact. This digest attempts to give a richer picture of the recent political and civil society events in Belarus. It often goes beyond the hot stories already available in English-language media.
