Last dictator in Europe looks West - Polidicks

[url]http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/belarus-president-%e2%80%98europe%e2%80%99s-last-dictator%e2%80%99-flirts-with-the-west/ar-BBkeSBl?ocid=iehp[/url] [QUOTE] Recently, senior European Union leaders have paid visits to President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled his nation with an iron grip since 1994. Top State Department leaders have dropped by, even though the last U.S. ambassador was expelled seven years ago. And last week, Belarusan leaders participated in an E.U. summit intended to help former Soviet nations move away from Russia and build stronger ties with Europe. “I’m not Europe’s last dictator anymore,” he joked to a Bloomberg News reporter who interviewed him this spring, referring to a 2005 claim by then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. “There are dictators a bit worse than me, no? I’m the lesser evil already.” “For the last 20 years, metaphorically speaking, Belarus for Europe has been a bit like Cuba for the United States,” said Andrejs Pildegovics, state secretary of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, who has been a leader of the new outreach, which includes cooperation to modernize Belarus’s education system and to make borders more open. “President Lukashenko will never be Vaclav Havel,” the esteemed leader of post-Soviet Czechoslovakia, Pildegovics said, “but he’s not Milosevic, either,” the brutal Serbian strongman. “A serious distancing from Russia is impossible, simply because we’re so tied to them right now,” said Valery Karbalevich, who wrote a biography of Lukashenko. Belarusan officials say that they are simply seeking decent relations with all of their neighbors and that no country can be happy with a war in a bordering nation. “Let’s be sincere. Europe cannot replace Russia for us, at least not today. We understand that in difficult times, we will always be with Russia,” Belarusan Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said in an interview. “But that doesn’t mean that Russia is going to be suspicious if we develop normal relations with the European Union. “We are not afraid that somebody wants to invade us. But we do not want an economic collapse to happen here,” he said. [/QUOTE]

Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.

It's kinda weird seeing how Belarus was going to basically become apart of the Russian Federation over a decade ago and now they're pretty much giving Putin a giant middle finger now. It will be interesting to see since I am visiting Belarus come this Thursday and wonder how the people's opinion on an American/Westerner will be. [editline]26th May 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.[/QUOTE] Don't be so pessimistic. Many countries have turned themselves around and have become very modern in a relatively short amount of time. I mean hell, the Balkans were in a genocidal war only two decades ago and now look at them.

Not surprising move since last year Lukashenko was reminded of what Putin is capable of to secure his own grip on neighboring countries. And then the economic sanctions to Russia diminishing buying force from there. Just adds up to Belarussian shaky economy. I am sure they are more than happy to look for more stable economic partners to west.

I wonder how long it gonna be before the Belarus rebels begin popping up...

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;47811011]I wonder how long it gonna be before the Belarus rebels begin popping up...[/QUOTE] You mean Russian minorities?

[QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.[/QUOTE] That's a pretty holier than thou attitude tbh

As Caspian Report said; they're basically a Russian colony at the moment.

[QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have [B]modern, western values[/B].[/QUOTE] They're eastern European not barbarians lmao.

[QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.[/QUOTE] yes, everyone in all countries allied with russia are subhuman barbarians that are incompatible with western values

[QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]“I put this question straight, because I have the decree, which I've spoken about, on my table. I was handed it over in connection with, let's put it straight, 'serfdom'. We'll give all powers to governors. You cannot quit. You may remember that I said it in my address to the nation,” Lukashenka said. “Start working so that people cannot say: you press on us, but you don't work properly. The government agencies will receive all powers in the nearest week. Don't expect unlimited freedom any more.”[/QUOTE] Their leadership is worse than Russias.

“I’m not Europe’s last dictator anymore" - bullshit. Are people forgetting that this man banned public applause and unemployment?

[QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.[/QUOTE] Who the fuck said modern=western? How about Japan who modernized without westernizing which should be the only proper way

[QUOTE=LVL FACTORY;47814474]Who the fuck said modern=western? How about Japan who modernized without westernizing which should be the only proper way[/QUOTE] I think western in this sense refers more to ideas such as democracy, rule of law and freedom.

He is literally a dictator. I mean they arrest people for reposting antigovernment posts in facebook and vk. Someone got jailed for pro-gay reposting too. Also talked to some Belarusians last summer. From what I can tell Belarus is way harsher than Russia. Also not surprising to see him switching sides. Belarus was earning huge money by buying products Russia can't buy in Europe and selling to Russia, then buying whatever europe can't buy in Russia and selling to Yurop. Then Russia cut that shit and Lukashenko was really really pissed, started making pro-Yrop moves.

He's right about one thing: Putin's got worse PR right now.

[QUOTE=LVL FACTORY;47814474]Who the fuck said modern=western? How about Japan who modernized without westernizing which should be the only proper way[/QUOTE] 1945–1952.

[QUOTE=Rangergxi;47814497]I think western in this sense refers more to ideas such as democracy, rule of law and freedom.[/QUOTE] What do people reffer to when they talk about democracy? Is it the representative elections, with the 2party sistem wich is the most common in the western world? Most of the time, when one party's mandate ends, the other party's mandate begins. So they switch places in power once every 4/5years depeding on country. That don't seem that much better than a one party sistem. Especially when you consider how the financing of political parties and their campaigns are done, with privateers "investing" their money into campaigns, with the expectation of reaping some benefits once the party they supported with money is in power. And besides, political ideologies are mostly dead nowadays imo. You see social parties passing liberal regulations into the economy, and next to none of their party's line of thought is actually applied in governing. I personally think of democracy in the way that each individual has the freedom to make small decisions in daily life, like choosing a better priced and better quality bottle of juice over the other, and that in turn sends a signal to the market, it's a small vote basically, but everyone's votes add up and the players in the market need to take note of the general sentiment, or what a majority wants. It's probably a silly idea but w/e, it's a much responsive and proactive sistem, where the votes matter quite a lot.

Could you please explain what the "two party system" is? I assume you are talking about the US voting system, which, to my understanding, is scarcely seen outside of the US.

[QUOTE=MuffinZerg;47814877]He is literally a dictator. I mean they arrest people for reposting antigovernment posts in facebook and vk. Someone got jailed for pro-gay reposting too. Also talked to some Belarusians last summer. From what I can tell Belarus is way harsher than Russia. Also not surprising to see him switching sides. Belarus was earning huge money by buying products Russia can't buy in Europe and selling to Russia, then buying whatever europe can't buy in Russia and selling to Yurop. Then Russia cut that shit and Lukashenko was really really pissed, started making pro-Yrop moves.[/QUOTE] I've heard some Belarusians say that its better than Russia :v: [editline]27th May 2015[/editline] Not Moscow/St Petersburg but better than most of the smaller cities atleast [editline]27th May 2015[/editline] Well not really in terms of 'freedom' but every day life

[QUOTE=Araknid;47815734]I've heard some Belarusians say that its better than Russia :v: [editline]27th May 2015[/editline] Not Moscow/St Petersburg but better than most of the smaller cities atleast [editline]27th May 2015[/editline] Well not really in terms of 'freedom' but every day life[/QUOTE] Well, it's cleaner. Gas is fucking dirt-cheap, a lot of stuff is cheaper, now that I think of it. But other than that it's pretty much Russia. In terms of political freedom, it's way worse.

[QUOTE=Araknid;47813051]yes, everyone in all countries allied with russia are subhuman barbarians that are incompatible with western values[/QUOTE] fitting avatar

[QUOTE=gudman;47816025]Well, it's cleaner. Gas is fucking dirt-cheap, a lot of stuff is cheaper, now that I think of it. But other than that it's pretty much Russia. In terms of political freedom, it's way worse.[/QUOTE] Don't forget their roads. They are so well-made, you could eat from them.

[QUOTE=Hyperbole;47806898]Belarus is basically Russia, I'd have no trust in them being able to have modern, western values.[/QUOTE] We're all human beings, who are you to say they can't adapt, jerk.

[QUOTE=Delta616;47817366]We're all human beings, who are you to say they can't adapt, jerk.[/QUOTE] We're all human beings; who are you to say that he can't say that they can't adapt, jerk.