Belarus: Background and U.S. Policy Concerns Page: 4 of 15
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Belarus: Background and
U.S. Policy Concerns
Introduction
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko snuffed out Belarus's modest
progress toward democracy and a free market economy in the initial years after the
breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 and created an authoritarian regime. His
regime, in rhetoric and policies a throwback to the Soviet era, is an anachronism
located among a Central Europe integrated into Euro-Atlantic institutions, a Ukraine
that has made strides in democratization, and a Russia that is increasingly
authoritarian but moving forward with economic modernization. Those advocating
a stronger U.S. role in trying to bring democratic change to Belarus say that the
country is important to the United States because, as what U.S. officials have called
"Europe's last dictatorship," Belarus is an obstacle to the U.S. goal of making Europe
"whole and free." Another concern is Belarus's support for pariah regimes, including
through arms sales.
Political and Economic Situation
Lukashenko was first elected as President of Belarus in 1994 on a populist, anti-
corruption platform. He dominates the Belarusian political scene, controlling the
parliament, government, security services, and judiciary through a large presidential
administration and substantial extra-budgetary resources. He has reduced potential
threats from within his regime by frequently removing or transferring officials at all
levels, often claiming they are incompetent or corrupt. Former regime figures who
move into opposition are singled out for particularly harsh punishment. His tight
control over an unreformed economy has prevented the rise of powerful "oligarchs,"
as occurred in Ukraine and Russia. The Lukashenko regime also controls almost all
of the media, which it uses to burnish Lukashenko's image and attack real and
imagined adversaries. Lukashenko is known for his political unpredictability and for
making rambling and rhetorically colorful public statements.
The State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights for 2007 judged
Belarus's human rights record to be "very poor." It says the government has
harassed, arrested, and beaten opposition figures. The regime has forced the closure
of independent media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dealing with
political issues and human rights, pushing these sectors to the brink of extinction.Vitalii Silitski, "The Tsar and His Boyars," Transitions Online, June 4, 2004,
[http://www.tol.cz].
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Woehrel, Steven. Belarus: Background and U.S. Policy Concerns, report, October 14, 2008; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc816403/m1/4/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.