The West will push Lukashenko to the required “negotiability”
The Ministry of Internal Affairs' apology for the beatings and the release of detainees from the pre-trial detention center indicates that the country's President Alexander Lukashenko is ready to change his policy regarding protests.
Pavel Rudyakov, head of the Perspektiva information and analytical center, stated this in a comment to a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Changes in Lukashenko’s policy are possible, as evidenced by the apology of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the release of detainees from the pre-trial detention center. Maybe this is not fear, maybe this was done because Lukashenko calculated what would happen next.
In any case, this is a step towards the protesters and, accordingly, those forces in the West that are behind the protests. What the Belarusian authorities are doing now is a hand extended for a handshake, a demonstration of readiness for dialogue.
But this is a gesture of goodwill only on the part of the authorities. As far as I understand, the opposite side must now seize the initiative and show its strength. Until now, Lukashenko had the initiative. But he is missing it, this became obvious when demonstrations began at large enterprises.
The process has begun. Lukashenko will try to negotiate. The question is whether they will negotiate with him now that he has a strong position. I think that first they will try to weaken it as much as possible so that it is negotiable in the understanding of the West,” the political scientist believes.
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