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Post by Jaga on Mar 26, 2006 17:47:02 GMT -7
These both countries attract lots of attention now. In Ukraine the opposition pro-Russian party won this time. It seems that in Ukraine the politics goes the same way as in Poland. The party which won the previous election and is ruling became so unpopular after some time that they get our of power and lose the next time.
In Belarus - there are protests after elections. Nobody wants to accept the new/old government and president.
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Post by pieter on Mar 27, 2006 14:32:26 GMT -7
Jaga,
I agree with you totally. In my memory I see government changes in Poland like ping pong, left-right-left-right left-right.
Pieter
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Post by Eric on Mar 29, 2006 3:05:39 GMT -7
Of course, the protests in Belarus are extremely small. Lukashenko does enjoy widespread and legitimate popularity in Belarus, simply because of the stability. In fact, the Russian press has reported recently that even Western analysts say that Belarus is the only republic in the whole former USSR where the majority of the population lives better now than before 1991, simply because of the stability, and most importantly, the entire population is still supported by the government.
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Post by Jaga on Mar 29, 2006 9:14:44 GMT -7
Eric,
I believe that Belarus is still not ready for any change. In some ways I also understand that not any change towards capitalism or more personal freedom is what majority of people always want.
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george
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 568
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Post by george on Mar 29, 2006 16:42:40 GMT -7
When they get a half million or a million people in their prtests, then i will feel they are serious about change
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Post by Eric on Mar 30, 2006 22:07:10 GMT -7
When they get a half million or a million people in their prtests, then i will feel they are serious about change It will be a LONG time before that would happen, because, as I already said, the vast majority of people support Lukashenko for the stability. When Lukashenko is no longer able to provide stability and a calm life, then people will demand more change. Until then, as much as the West hates it, Lukashenko is secure in his job.
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hanna
Freshman Pole
Posts: 38
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Post by hanna on Apr 2, 2006 14:31:17 GMT -7
They have been very persistent, the protesters. Out on the streets every day. Looks pretty bad for them, Belarus is known as a so-called well managed dictatorship, where the army and police is well paid, and therefore loyal to the power. They have been really brutal with the protesters. They have also threatened with death sentences for protesters ("terrorists"). This does not seem to work as in Ukraine where flowers melted the hearts of the police. The flowers offered in Belarus are drenched in blood. Makes me uneasy to watch it on tv.
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Post by Eric on Apr 7, 2006 3:12:31 GMT -7
The revolutions in Ukraine were more peaceful, but they had a larger backing. Most importantly, it's whose side the police are on. In Ukraine, they gladly went to Yushchenko's side and supported the revolution along with the protestors. In Belarus, the police are on Lukashenko's side, as is the majority of the population. There is very little sympathy for those in the protests.
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