Id rather be a dictator than gay: Lukashenko to

German FM
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Published: 04 March, 2012, 20:28

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus (RIA Novosti / Sergey Guneev)
TAGS: Conflict, EU, Politics, Human rights,Belarus, Opposition


The Belarusian president made this shocking statement in response to German Foreign Minister Guido
Westerwelles report that Berlin is recalling its ambassador from Minsk.
Lukashenko lashed out at the European Union in general and at Westerwelle in particular after the EU imposed
new sanctions against a number of Belarusian government officials. It is intolerable for us as Europeans to see
human rights and citizens rights in Belarus thus violated. This is the last dictatorship in Europe, German Foreign
Minister Guido Westerwelle declared.
Its absolute hysteria, Lukashenko claimed in response and continued with an outrageously rude comment,
apparently directed at the German FM. When I heard him whoever he is, gay or lesbian talking about
dictatorship, I thought its better to be a dictator than gay.
And while most people would probably come up with a swift reply to Lukashenkos aggressive and unacceptable
comment, the German Minister himself has yet to respond.
The Belarusian leaders latest flow of vitriol was apparently brought on by new sanctions and a diplomatic row
with the EU. The bloc recalled all its ambassadors to Minsk, and barred a number of Belarusian officials mostly
judges and law enforcement officers from traveling to EU member states. They also face an assets freeze.
This isnt the first or even the second time the EU has voted to sanction Belarus for human rights violations.
They have targeted the authoritarian countrys repression of the political opposition, whose members have
frequently been jailed.
Lukashenko has led Belarus since 1994, retaining Soviet-style controls over the economy and cracking down on
the opposition and independent media. As a result of his somewhat isolationist policies, the countrys economy is
suffering from hyperinflation.