Belarusian ruler acknowledges sanctions’ toll

May 5, BPN. Belarusian ruler Alaksandr Łukašenka has acknowledged that Western sanctions have hurt his country’s economy and living standards, in a rare admission of vulnerability.

In a message to Denmark on its Constitution Day, Łukašenka said Belarusians and Danes can be proud of their high social and economic achievements that can be ruined by “unjust sanctions” and “war hysteria.”

He said such restrictions only cause “a decline in the quality of life and uncertainty about the future” for both sides.

Łukašenka’s remarks contrast with his previous defiant stance, as he claimed that Belarus and its ally Russia can provide for themselves and that sanctions are an opportunity to develop domestic industries.

The EU has imposed sanctions on Belarus for its crackdown on dissent and its role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The measures include travel bans and asset freezes on officials and entities, as well as trade and financial restrictions. Denmark, an EU member, supports the sanctions.

Prime Minister Raman Hałoŭčanka said in March that sanctions had a “direct blocking impactˮ on 25 percent of the Belarusian economy, and the remaining share is “under the indirect impact.ˮ

Belarus’ GDP fell by 4.7 percent in 2022. The government expects a 3.8 percent rise this year.