MINSK, 22 June (BelTA) – Today the idea of an international isolation and the use of sanctions against a country in the center of Europe looks absurd, BelTA learned from Oleg Zhingel, member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, head of the Vitebsk Oblast regional directorate of OAO Belagroprombank.
Oleg Zhingel said: “In the modern world the idea of an international isolation and the use of sanctions against a state located in the center of Europe looks absurd. Independence, the development of the human potential, and economic growth represent not only the foundation of prosperity of citizens of the country but a guarantee of geopolitical stability in the region. Instead of advancing mutually beneficial cooperation an entire number of countries are actively contributing to the destabilization of the situation in Belarus. Restrictive measures are being taken in various spheres of life.”
The senator reminded that the Belarusian opposition lobbies such sanctions as an embargo on exporting Belarusian goods to the European Union and a prohibition against new investments from European countries into the Belarusian economy.
Oleg Zhingel went on saying: “They call for disconnecting Belarusian state-run banks from the SWIFT system and from the VISA and MasterCard payment systems. They would like investment funds to present sovereign eurobonds of Belarus for early redemption. They would like foreign companies to cease any cooperation with Belarusian state-run enterprises. For our country it would result in lower external borrowings from European financial institutions for the sake of implementing investment projects. The ability of technical modernization of Belarusian enterprises would be curtailed. It is likely that labor productivity and salaries of the workers would be reduced. Common Belarusians would suffer as a result. At the same time the sanctions impede European countries, too: trade turnover is declining, they cannot sell their equipment to us. As a result, European enterprises experience lower sales and salaries of their workers are reduced. Common citizens suffer again as a result.”
The senator is convinced that those, who call for sanctions against Belarusian enterprises, act against their own nation. “Any economic sanctions harm common people. This is why nobody needs sanctions. European politicians don't want to notice that since they pursue their own interests. The Belarusian nation wants to live in peace and accord with its neighbors on the basis of equal relations. The key task for us today is to jointly protect the country and the future of our kids,” the senator concluded.
