I think people have ample reason to obsess about Lukashenko’s democratic failings – they’re numerous and severe. I have read some excellent posts to this list documenting Putin’s excesses and their implications, many of them by you, Chris. It always strikes me, though, that few here are willing to engage similar excesses by Lukashenko without first downplaying them. I don’t know your opinion Lukashenko, so I can't say this is what you're doing. But I believe the dissolution of a legally elected parliament, a refusal to vacate office at the expiry of one’s presidential term, and the staging of show trials of recognized opposition members (some of whom would later disappear) are all worthy of obsession. Again, I don’t mean to suggest you’re downplaying Lukashenko’s immoderate exercise of power, just that your post can be read as such.
One of Lukashenko’s oddest offenses, visited upon the residents of Minsk only, is his habitual barricading of Oktyabrskaya Square so he can circle about on his Rollerblades whilst clad in Lycra bottoms. I was told of this by a Belarusian friend’s mother who was visiting said friend in Warsaw. She arrived with any empty suitcase which she told me she intended to fill with cheese. I asked what kind. “Just cheese. It’s unavailable in Minsk.” I was floored. Chris, you recently posted some figures on CIS countries and their respective per capita GDPs (I think) that placed Belarus at or near the top. Belarus circa 1998, when I had the above conversation, was a shambles. What accounts for the sudden jump?
By the way, Soros’ hostility to the anti-reformist Lukashenko isn’t wholly ideological. The (American) fellow heading the Belarusian output of Soros’ foundation was summarily booted from the country in 1997 on returning from Hungary. The foundation was shut and its property confiscated some months later. It’s now run from Paris and Warsaw.
Say what you will about Soros (a big promoter of “reflexivity” chafed by suggestions his letter to the Financial Times questioning the viability of the viability contributed to the collapse of the same; author of the ridiculous “Opening the Soviet System,” a book whose length would be reduced by 40% if all instances of the words I, me, and my were expunged), but his Open Society Institute funds some very good and very necessary shit.
_________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp