Slave trade in centre of Europe

• 2.09.2011, 4:30

Alyaksandr Lukashenka promises to free all political prisoners by the middle of October 2011.

This information was spread by Reuters on September 1. The news agency refers to a letter of Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and the bloc’s foreign ministers. According to Mladenov, who met with Lukashenka in late August, the Belarusian dictator promised to release imprisoned opposition activists within a month and a half. He also plans to organize round table negotiations with the opposition on the country’s future.

Mladenov added that Lukashenka’s initiative to improve relations with the EU may be connected with the economic sanctions imposed by the European bloc in response to political repressions following the riot in Minsk on December 19, 2010.

A diplomatic source notes to Reuters that Lukashenka decided to use Bulgaria as an intermediary in the EU after Italia and Lithuania haв refused to perform this function.

The dictator already pardoned four participants of the December revolt on September 1.

Lukashenka signed a decree on pardoning after considering applications from oppositionists. The decision was made taking into account the fact that the prisoners “have repented, they have recognized their guilt and the illegal nature of their actions. They are ready to observe Belarusian laws in the future”.

The press service does not say the names of the pardoned persons, but independent media report that they are Ales Kirkevich, Andrei Pratasenya, Aleh Hnedchyk and Dzmitry Daronin. Presidential candidates Andrei Sannikov, Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Uss imprisoned after the December events have not applied for pardon.

Lukashenka pardoned nine participants of disorders in Minsk on August 11, but his former electoral opponents were not freed that time.

The Belarusian opposition took scores of thousands of people on the election day, December 19, 2010.