Georgy Atamanov: “European integrators consider our countries as an adjunct!”

The Central Committee secretary of communist party of Belarus on organizational and party and legal work, the deputy of the Minsk city council of deputies, the chairman of the constant mandatory, publicity, self-government, law and order and international relations commission Georgy Atamanov answered the questions of our portal of how Belarus lives today, what are the relations of the republic with neighbours and what they think of the East partnership:

— How Belarus treats ideas of East partnership?

- «East partnership» is the Swedish-Polish initiative accepted as the project of the European Union in Prague in May, 2009 «on development of integration communications, rapprochement and cooperation strengthening» with six former Soviet republics: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.

The main objective of the project declared as «creation of necessary conditions for acceleration of political and economic integration between the European Union and the interested partner countries» by assistance to political and social and economic reforms in the participating countries. The Prague declaration underlined that activity of «East partnership» will rely on the principle of «conditiation», that is advances forward only on condition of performance by the participating countries of the program of certain requirements of E. U. The following areas were called as the main priorities of cooperation with EU:

• democracy, improvement of a control system and ensuring stability;
• economic integration and convergence with branch economic policy of EU, including creation of free trade zones;
• energy security;
• development of contacts between people (liberalization of a visa regime and strengthening of fight against illegal migration).

The conclusion in the long term of bilateral agreement between EU and the partner countries about association was provided that has to serve as an important step on a way of their further integration to the European social and economic and political space.

However, a bit different and more pragmatic tasks are covered behind good intentions of European integrators: finally to disintegrate the former Soviet Union and to remove CIS countries from under influence of Russia. (Only the European hysterics round refusal of Ukraine to sign the Agreement on association with the European Union in Vilnius is explained by it)

The tolerant Belarus estimates such statement of the purposes and considerable politicization of «partnership» adequately, being conformed with radical interests of modern development of the republic, paying tribute to the closest union with brotherly Russia. For this reason at the Bruxelles meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in May, 2012 a complaint apropos «situation deteriorations with human rights» and the requirement on «immediate release and rehabilitation» of so-called «political prisoners» whom in the right practice of our republic doesn’t exist by definition also was made to Belarus.

The Belarusian communists share an official position of Moscow on the relation of «East partnership», sounded by the constant representative of Russia at the E. U. Vladimir Chizhov: «We are against that these CIS countries were put before an artificial dilemma: or forward in bright future with the European Union or back with Russia. And there were such signs at the initial stage of „East partnership“ — it is the fact».

The experience of the countries which have once signed the agreement on association with EU is rather interesting to us. And it shows that their life became not better from the new status of the relations with Brussels. The bitter experience of Romania, Bulgaria, the Baltic republics and Hungary testifies to it.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus repeatedly called: «less policy, more economy». Therefore our country supports all five years of presence at a format of «East partnership» filling of practical component in spheres of social and economic development, modernization and cooperation with the European Union in the areas representing mutual interest. The Belarusian party initiates the development of the specific projects aimed at the development of a network of power and transport communications, strengthening of regional energy security, fight against ecological threats, strengthening of a cross-border security and customs interaction. Belarus supports creation of regional mechanisms on attraction of additional investments and also East partnership business format establishment as constant platform for dialogue and cooperation between business and economic associations of the partner countries and EU.

Our position consists in transferring of integration processes from political and theoretical in the practical plane. In other option «East Partnership» turns into an ordinary baby’s dummy behind which there is no any strategy.

— What in your opinion lies in bases of ideas of European integration which the European Union strenuously advances in the former federal republics on the former Soviet Union?

Having answering the first question, I indirectly opened the background of integration in an European way. In the geopolitical plan they are afraid of revival of the Soviet Union at significantly reasonable integrating role of Russia.

In the economic sphere EU isn’t interested in the development of the Post-Soviet republics, creation of their own hi-tech and competitive productions, preservation of their national and state sovereignty. In our people they see not creators of own happiness, but uncomplaining consumers of their goods, services and the gay European values.

European integrators consider our countries as an adjunct of economy of the most developed European countries as a huge sales market and the realization, the goods made at them and services. They are not interested in creation of new workplaces, the solution of housing and social problems.

In the spiritual and moral sphere they aren’t interested absolutely in preservations of originality, spiritual and moral values, national cultures, languages, traditions and customs of the people, living in these territories for centuries.

— What role in advance of such ideas to the east is played by Poland? What are the relations of Poland and Belarus today?

- The greatest interest in cooperation of Belarus within «East partnership» is shown by the countries -neigbours Latvia and Lithuania. Here the economic interest is on the first place, as these countries are the important links in transit of the Belarusian goods through the ports. And the considerable share of commodity turnover of these countries is anyway tied to Belarus; the mass of joint ventures works. If Belarus drops out the structure of the relations with EU, it strikes first of all on economy of Lithuania and Latvia therefore these countries take a pragmatic position concerning the Belarusian-European relations.

Russophobia is widespread in Poland, here they afraid of the strengthening of Russia and its role in the international relations really. But real decisions make not in Warsaw, but considerably more to the west. And the relation to Russia differs from the East European there.

Of course, I speak about elite, the opinion of the public is not so important.
Poland is interested in retraction of the Post-Soviet countries in an orbit of the European Union and in advance of «democracies» as in its understanding «the more the government democratic, the more it preditable». It would like bigger inclusion of Belarus in the relations with the European Union that would simplify its opportunities to influence Belarus and to realize the geopolitical and economic interests here.

Unfortunately, it should be noted that integration processes today are even more often used as a kind of ideological, economic, political and valuable expansion that is expressed in the form of imposing of any one, private «truth» to the people, valuable system, socio-political model.

We are the witnesses of forming of the modern international relations at the heart of whom the geopolitical mechanisms are involved which are actively operating the historical past. Even it will be better to tell, the selective historic facts which have been snatched out from the general context of objective historical development, to please to a modern political environment. All this can’t but guard as such approach not only leads to history falsification, but also creates intensity in system of the international relations.

It is difficult to tell about the relations of Poland and Belarus shortly. The territory of Belarus once was a part of Rzeczpospolita. In the period of three sections of Poland between Prussia, Austria and Russia the configuration of its borders at the beginning was considerably transformed, and, eventually, Rzeczpospolita disappeared from the map of Europe. And only after the Great October socialist revolution in Russia there was Polish state on the map of Europe again and after the First World War there was an increment of the Polish lands.

Building the relations with Belarus the modern political leadership of Poland painfully perceives both an independent way of development of our country, and its independent multivector foreign policy. And furthermore the friendship with Russia. To confirm this statement it is enough rather attentively to analyse actions of the modern political leadership of Poland.

Ordinary Poles support the development of friendship and good-neighbourhood with our country, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland warms up the anti-Belarusian moods, declaring «possible repressions against the Polish minority» in Belarus. For several last years Poland actively exaggerates a subject of the Union of Poles in Belarus.

The Polish management rose in defence of a handful of turncoats, the so-called Belarusian opposition raised by it, ignoring the will of the vast majority of the Belarusian voters who have given the votes for A. G. Lukashenko. The evidence to that the statement of the Polish president Bronislaw Komorowski made on February 6, 2011 in interview to the Polish radio: «Poland does for the Belarusian opposition more than any of the European Union countries».

Poland intends «to act» in Belarus from now on. Or it is rough, up to economic sanctions, or it is soft — through behind-the-scenes intrigues. The levers of influence are the Union of Poles in Belarus, an economy and visa restrictions.

It is available the echoes of the old geopolitical doctrine of «Great Poland from the sea to the sea». Only already in plausible sauce of fight for human rights the political leadership of Poland not simply impudently interferes with internal affairs of the sovereign state, but dictates it the will, but also involves in this process of the European Union country.

The various international meetings and the conferences are held in Warsaw the purpose of which is financing of civil society in Belarus. And the understanding of the term «civil society» is selective at political elite. They carry only those political parties and public associations which are ready to pursue their policy in the sovereign states to structures of civil society. And those numerous parties and public associations which support a political policy in interests of the working people and independent state development appear totalitarian.

Despite certain difficulties in the relations, Belarus tries to build equal relations with Poland. The position of the president of Republic of Belarus, sounded at appointment of the new Belarusian ambassador in Poland Averyanov Alexander Kazimirovich on December 3, 2013 serves as confirmation to it: «It is our countries neighbours, and however we live today with them, whatever we had relations, the neighbours are not chosen. Whatever they were, we have to be adjusted for positive work, to look for contacts with them, we should cooperate. God sees, we do that, it is our line, and sometimes is impossible for us — it not depends on us, too inadequate requirements impose from that party to which we can’t go, today at least and I don’t think that tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we will be able to do it».

— The way of Belarus and Russia is defined in respect of integration, but do all political forces in the republic support this course?

- No, not all. But their minority. The nationalist and westernized political parties and public associations don’t support a course on serious and responsible construction of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. The majority of the Belarusian citizens fairly consider them as «grant suckers» and «fifth column» or as «alternative politicians under the western protection».

These forces don’t see own responsibility for our people before future generations. As a rule, they measure «patriotism» by operating foreign currency course, cash in own pockets, opportunities to use the benefits and achievements created not by their hands.

— Is a mutual Belarusian and Russian interest at construction of the Union State?

- Certainly, yes! We are connected by centuries-old history of a joint survival in the difficult and changeable world. We are nearly one people fastened with century friendship and in common shed blood at protection of the general Homeland. We have general mentality, spiritual and moral values and complementary cultures; language and outlook, traditions and customs are similar, it is a lot of joint marriages.

We have a huge potential in the development of all branches of modern science, space exploration and bowels of the earth, including in the Arctic. We are capable to make the most technological and competitive production, to give the most modern formation of youth, it is trembling to care of veterans, adequately to esteem the ancestors and great joint history.

On January 1, 2014 95 years are executed to the Communist Party of Belarus and the national Belarusian statehood which has appeared thanks to will and responsible service to the people from the Belarusian communists, accepted at the first congress in Smolensk the decision on creation of the Soviet Socialist Republic Belarusian. The modern Belarusian state builds up on the fundamental base created for 74 years by the Belarusian workers under the direction of Communist Party.

We are mutually interested in that our people live from now on side by side in friendship and consent, despite of everything. Together the trouble and a bad weather are transferred twice easier, and the pleasure and success in affairs and undertakings is perceived twice bigger.

By own work and talent we are capable to construct fair society in which the main value is the person and not money and not their quantity, but honest work of everyone for the public good will be a criterion of happy life.

- There is such point of view that Belarus and Russia have to carry out modernization through assimilation of the European values and change of the mentality. How the Belarusian communists treat it?

- In my opinion, such point of view mistakenly a priori. Our own modernization should be built only on values which have traditionally developed and recognized by absolute majority.

The spiritual and moral principles and the beginnings, at the heart of which kindness, empathy, sincere care of the person, as supreme value on the earth, respect for the personality of everyone are inherent in our people.

We are for the traditional family relations with honouring of parents and care of children, exclusively reverent attitude to the woman and great gift of motherhood. The selfless love to the earth on which was born and grew is peculiar to us, devotion to the last breath, without looking at any circumstances.

We are distinguished by the mysterious Russian soul which still hasn’t been understood by Europeans. Only we are able to empathize each other in trouble and to rally in a heavy time of tests, combining the efforts for the sake of a common goal.

There is our force in it — in the truth and purity of thoughts and our affairs. It is convinced that each of readers himself will find the mass of examples about what I told.