{"id":152309,"date":"2025-08-23T20:40:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T17:40:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/152309\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"lukasenka-again-praises-pazniak-for-anti-sanctions-stance","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/152309\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka again praises Pa\u017aniak for anti-sanctions stance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

August 23, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka has praised his long-time political opponent, Zianon Pa\u017aniak, leader of the Free Belarus movement, for advocating against Western sanctions on Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talking to the state media on Friday, \u0141uka\u0161enka said, \u201cAs for sanctions, even Zianon Pa\u017aniak criticizes you [the regime\u2019s more liberal opponents]. He says that they are not against the \u2018regime\u2019 but against the people and must be lifted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA reasonable position. Our people understand it as well. \u2018No, sanctions! Strangle, strangle, and strangle!\u2019 That nasty stuff just oozes out of them,\u201d \u0141uka\u0161enka added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with Time<\/em> magazine, released on August 8, he claimed that his political opponents had never raised the issue of releasing political prisoners. \u201cWell, except for Pa\u017aniak and the old opposition guard in the West\u2014they are always fighting for the lifting of sanctions and for political prisoners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 12, \u0141uka\u0161enka stated that \u201cfugitives,\u201d and especially his \u201cold friend Zianon Pa\u017aniak,\u201d often criticized him on the matters of patriotism and internationalism. \u201cHowever, he hasn\u2019t reproached me lately for surrendering or selling out. He understands and knows me well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pa\u017aniak, a conservative politician who fled in 1996, argues that sanctions on Belarus are pushing the country toward closer integration with Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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