English

Former police chief turned politician plays down EU sanctions

 

The European Union`s sanctions against Belarus do not influence the situation inside the country, Aleh Haydukevich, a former police chief who has recently been elected deputy chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), told reporters in Minsk on Monday.

"Humanly speaking, we are not indifferent to them," Mr. Haydukevich said. "However, we believe that sanctions make no difference politically. We pay the least attention to Europe in our activities."
What makes the Liberal Democratic Party different from all other political forces in Belarus is that while many of them are advancing the interests of Europe or Russia, the LDP works for the benefit of the Belarusian people, Mr. Haydukevich.

Despite the fact that

The situation in North Korea, which is facing all kinds of sanctions, clearly indicates that restrictive measures do not change anything, he said.

Mr. Haydukevich said that representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party would soon pay a series of visits to Europe to meet with "serious European politicians."

The 35-year-old Haydukevich, who served as chief of the Frunzenski district police station in Minsk between 2009 and August 2012, is known for his role in breaking up street protests and arresting opposition activists.

As many as 243 Belarusian citizens, including a number of police officials, are currently subject to the European Union`s travel bans and asset freezes for their role in human rights violations in Belarus and support of the Lukashenka regime. // BelaPAN