Even the Near Future Is Uncertain in Belarus
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 18 Issue: 10
(source: novayagazeta.ru)
The
Belorysy i Rynok newspaper asked three prominent Belarusian analysts to predict the country’s near future. But two out of three only shared observations, not forecasts. Thus, Piotr Rudkovsky, head of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, observed that for any political regime, creating an enemy out of half of the population is irrational. According to Yauheni Preiherman, head of Minsk Dialogue, pressure from the West always makes the Belarusian regime toughen its stand vis-à-vis domestic opposition. Besides, this pressure limits President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s ability to say no to Moscow, whose new push to boost the level of integration with Belarus is a sure bet. Only Andrei Yeliseyev, director of Warsaw-based EAST center, predicted that the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly to be convened February 11–12 will elect a presidium wi