How Not to Be Cheated by Belarus Authorities
Originally published at Belarus Digest. Please leave any comments there.
The incumbent Belarusian government has a long record of deceptive behaviour in its foreign relations. Both its major trading partners - Russia and the European Union - have more than once seen official Minsk let them down on its commitments and promises. These promises included political liberalisation, introduction of single currency with Russia, recognition of Abkhasia and South Ossetia and many more.
The words of the Belarusian authorities are taken with distrust and suspicion not only in Belarus but even more so abroad. When it comes to contractual obligations Belarus' counterparts prefer to be on the safe side of the road and double check that the Belarusian regime will not have a chance to deceive them again. The safeguards which Russia is now taking when ion its new loans to Belarus is a vivid illustration of that.
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