Zaika: It will be terrible if EU and Russia join U.S. sanctions
In the economist’s opinion, America will not limit itself to “oil’ sanctions this year, it will second the freezing of Belarus’ international crediting.
The USA threatens to reimpose its sanctions on Belarus if the peopled detained on December 19 are not released. U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Nancy McEldowney has claimed it in Vilnius, reports “Interfax”. America lifted some of its sanctions when Alyaksandr Kazulin, a former presidential candidate, and a number of other politicians were released from prison two years ago.
In Leanid Zaika’s opinion, the USA may go further this time and will not limit itself to the “oil” sanctions of 2007.
Leanіd Zaіka: “Instructions to suspend crediting may be given – America will not vote for giving out credits in international organizations. The financial “stopping” will be carried out by the world economy. In particular, by the World Bank and the International Fund. We should not expect America to vote in support of these or those credits. The USA has great influence in the Board of Directors and nobody will conflict with America’s point of view”.
The Belarusian government announced in advance that it did not need international credits. The expert thinks that the American sanctions will be demonstrative and will not have any certain economic or political effect in connection with it. But it will be different if the European Union and Russia join the “oil” sanctions.
Leanіd Zaіka: “The EU and Russia can impose more influential sanctions: Russia can impose them on energy supplies and the EU – on oil products purchase. If they do it, it will be terrible. The consequences will be very complex and grave”.
In Alyaksandr Kazulin’s opinion, the Belarusian authorities cannot ignore the U.S. sanctions. Especially if the European Union supports America.
Alyaksandr Kazulіn: “They (the Belarusian authorities - Euroradio) cannot ignore the measures taken by a serious country to affect Belarus. If the European Union joins this kind of pressure, including economic pressure, it will not be an issue that can be easily disregarded”.
Meanwhile, experts think that the EU will likely join the “oil” and bank sanctions if they are imposed by the USA. According to Nancy McEldowney , Washington and Brussels tend to coordinate their policy as regards the official Minsk.
Let us remind you that the USA has already imposed sanctions on Belarus before. The American Ministry of Finance froze all the bank accounts under the U.S. jurisdiction that belonged to “Belnaftahim” and it’s representative offices in Germany, Latvia, Ukraine , Russia and China and to the company “Belnaftahim USA” on July 13, 2007. American businessmen were requested to avoid contacts with the Belarusian concern. The sanctions were also imposed on Lida “Lakafarba”, Polatsk “Glass Fiber” and “Belarusian Oil Firm” six months later. All their American accounts were also frozen. Some of the sanctions were lifted after a number of political prisoners had been released.
In Leanid Zaika’s opinion, the U.S. actions did not do much harm to the Belarusian economy back then.
Leanіd Zaіka: “Our American turnover is not that big – we sold goods costing for 300 million dollars. But America kept its word. However, it did not exercise any influence because Estonia started buying more Belarusian products at that time. But it (the USA - Euroradio) clearly understood that it would happen because we did not sell products for billions of dollars”.
However, even if the Belarusian economy did not feel the economic influence of the American sanctions, Alyaksandr Kazulin who was imprisoned at that moment did feel it.
Alyaksandr Kazulіn: “I can say that but for the sanctions, I would have hardly been released 2 and a half years later instead of 5 and a half”.
The USA threatens to reimpose its sanctions on Belarus if the peopled detained on December 19 are not released. U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Nancy McEldowney has claimed it in Vilnius, reports “Interfax”. America lifted some of its sanctions when Alyaksandr Kazulin, a former presidential candidate, and a number of other politicians were released from prison two years ago.
In Leanid Zaika’s opinion, the USA may go further this time and will not limit itself to the “oil” sanctions of 2007.
Leanіd Zaіka: “Instructions to suspend crediting may be given – America will not vote for giving out credits in international organizations. The financial “stopping” will be carried out by the world economy. In particular, by the World Bank and the International Fund. We should not expect America to vote in support of these or those credits. The USA has great influence in the Board of Directors and nobody will conflict with America’s point of view”.
The Belarusian government announced in advance that it did not need international credits. The expert thinks that the American sanctions will be demonstrative and will not have any certain economic or political effect in connection with it. But it will be different if the European Union and Russia join the “oil” sanctions.
Leanіd Zaіka: “The EU and Russia can impose more influential sanctions: Russia can impose them on energy supplies and the EU – on oil products purchase. If they do it, it will be terrible. The consequences will be very complex and grave”.
In Alyaksandr Kazulin’s opinion, the Belarusian authorities cannot ignore the U.S. sanctions. Especially if the European Union supports America.
Alyaksandr Kazulіn: “They (the Belarusian authorities - Euroradio) cannot ignore the measures taken by a serious country to affect Belarus. If the European Union joins this kind of pressure, including economic pressure, it will not be an issue that can be easily disregarded”.
Meanwhile, experts think that the EU will likely join the “oil” and bank sanctions if they are imposed by the USA. According to Nancy McEldowney , Washington and Brussels tend to coordinate their policy as regards the official Minsk.
Let us remind you that the USA has already imposed sanctions on Belarus before. The American Ministry of Finance froze all the bank accounts under the U.S. jurisdiction that belonged to “Belnaftahim” and it’s representative offices in Germany, Latvia, Ukraine , Russia and China and to the company “Belnaftahim USA” on July 13, 2007. American businessmen were requested to avoid contacts with the Belarusian concern. The sanctions were also imposed on Lida “Lakafarba”, Polatsk “Glass Fiber” and “Belarusian Oil Firm” six months later. All their American accounts were also frozen. Some of the sanctions were lifted after a number of political prisoners had been released.
In Leanid Zaika’s opinion, the U.S. actions did not do much harm to the Belarusian economy back then.
Leanіd Zaіka: “Our American turnover is not that big – we sold goods costing for 300 million dollars. But America kept its word. However, it did not exercise any influence because Estonia started buying more Belarusian products at that time. But it (the USA - Euroradio) clearly understood that it would happen because we did not sell products for billions of dollars”.
However, even if the Belarusian economy did not feel the economic influence of the American sanctions, Alyaksandr Kazulin who was imprisoned at that moment did feel it.
Alyaksandr Kazulіn: “I can say that but for the sanctions, I would have hardly been released 2 and a half years later instead of 5 and a half”.
