Lukashenko Employs “Crafty Policy” Toward Russia

It seems like Lukashenko is changing his strategy as he approaches a new electoral campaign he intends to win in December using a “anti-Russian rhetoric,” according to Russian authorities.

It is hard to believe that this hoax could work, but it is not impossible, since it used to work a few years back in the neighboring Republic of Moldova, when the pro-Russian president at the time swung position back in forth, trying to enlist the help of both Russia and the European Union (especially of Romania) to save his country from the economic downfall.

Dmitry Medvedev criticized Lukashenko for trying to pass Russia off as the worst enemy of the country in his attempt to stay in power for a fourth or fifth term. Medvedev said that the Belarusian leadership is accustomed to create enemies of the country in order to ask the people for votes. It was the United States, then the European Union and now it is Russia’s turn, the president added.

Analysts consider this blog reply of Medvedev’s is a response to the “crafty policy” of Lukashenko, whose aim is to be re-elected.

Lukashenko is expected to make friends with Russia again soon after the elections, probably because the country’s economy is dependent on Russia.

This would mean that Lukashenko has no problem lying through his teeth to the constituents, which is a common habit in these neighborhoods, and also that the public opinion of the Belarus is growing an anti-Russian feeling.

It could also mean that Russia has decided to stop supporting the dictatorial regime of Lukashenko and is now inclining toward supporting another candidate.

There is an Union State created on April 2, 1996, comprising the Russian Federation and Belarus.

In December 1998 was signed a Treaty on the Creation of a Union State of Russia and Belarus. By this treaty the two countries were intending to create a federation of countries like the former Soviet Union, with common president, parliament, flag, anthem, constitution, army, currency, citizenship.

The Russian State Duma ratified the treaty in December 1999, and the Belarusian parliament did the same on January 26, 2000.

The actual president of this union is Pavel Borodin, elected for a four-year term.

For some reasons the Union State didn’t come to pass so far, the two nations failing to create the common institutions the treaty was talking about.

Thus, they reintroduced custom control along the common border a few months after the signing of the treaty, and a common currency never came to be introduced. Military joint operation are being held but they are also far from an integrated program.

The Union State, which doesn’t even have a flag or an anthem, has plans of expansion. Thus, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistia, breakaway territories are expected to join the commonwealth along with Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, and Ukraine, which recently made a statement that it may join soon the union.

Serbia attempted to join in 1999 before the invasion of NATO, and Moldova was contemplating the thought before pro-Russian president Voronin lost power.11