Yarmoshyna: I would like to travel to Prague, Budapest, Paris and Venice
One week ago, the Council of the European Union extended sanctions against 41 Belarusian officials until April 10, 2009. Apart from international conferences organized by UN, OSCE or EU, the listed personalities are banned from entering or transiting through the EU member states. The sanctions against the Belarusian officials were initially imposed by the European Union in April 2006. In October 2006, the sanctions were expanded. The European Radio for Belarus explores where the Belarusian officials on the EU’s travel-ban list spend their vacations.
Lidziya Yarmoshyna, the chairperson of the Central Elections Commission, told the European Radio for Belarus that she spent her holidays in Turkey three years in a row. She doesn’t feel like going there again, because she has already explored all the attractions. That’s why she will head to Egypt this year. At the same time, she would like very much to visit the Czech Republic, Hungary and especially Paris and Venice.
“This year, I plan to go to Egypt. Since I am banned from entering Europe, I travel to either Asian countries or to the Black Sea resorts in Russia. I would go to European country with pleasure. In particular, I am interested in the Czech Republic. I have never visited this country. I traveled several times to Hungary. I have also not seen what a life dream is for many people: Paris and Venice”, she said.
According to Lidziya Yarmoshyna, she is mostly interested in history and culture of a travel destination. That’s why she likes visiting museums and historical sites. Since the chairperson of the Central Elections Commission is unable to see those sites in European capitals because of the travel ban, she feels offended by those who placed her on the black list. She says she is not interested in shopping tours.
“I think it is senseless to waste your vacations for shopping. This is something unacceptable for me, even if I was free to travel anywhere”.
Alexander Zimouski, the chairman of the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company, has already been on vacations this year. Together with his family, he traveled to the Persian Gulf but would not elaborate where exactly. He says he is grateful to the Council of the European Union for banning him from entering European countries. Being on the black list, he does not have “to stoop in a queue for a visa at their embassies”.
“Presently, the European nations scoff at people who come for visas to their embassies. It is really a shame watching this circus! Therefore, I’d better travel to visa-free countries, rather than standing in a queue and humiliating myself before their diplomatic bosses”.
The head of the Belarusian television is not interested in shopping tours in Europe. He says he and his wife are not shopping addicts. Yet, he would wish to visit Berlin.
“Berlin is the city of my dreams. I visited Berlin many times, and I like it very much”.
Actually, he has yet another reason to travel to Europe: to check his non-existent frozen bank accounts.
“I have only one interest in going to Europe: to look at my world-famous frozen assets”.
Syarhey Kastsyan, a deputy chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee at the House of Representatives, explained to the European Radio for Belarus that only foolish people spend their vacations in Europe, because there is nothing to do and see there. If someone feels like going abroad, one can travel to Cuba.
Kastsyan: Only foolish people can go to this filthy Europe and spend their money. One can stay there not more than one week out of interest. No single person with brains will spend vacations there. But if you really feel like having your holidays abroad and you have money, I would go to Cuban resorts. I don’t need this filthy Europe. There is nothing there.
The lawmaker usually takes a rest at Lake Narach in Belarus. Those seeking adventures can go Lake Baykal where the deputy took a swim.
He feels no discomfort that he has been placed “together with the president” on the travel-ban list.
Anatol Rubinau, the first deputy chief of staff at the Presidential Administration, spends his holidays at his countryside retreat. He has traveled around the world so much, so he is not interested. He does not care about shopping, because everything is available in Minsk.
Rubinau: I used to travel a lot and spent many years abroad. I enjoy staying in Belarus. There is no better place on the Earth.
Mikalay Lazavik who serves as the secretary of the Central Elections Commission says no sanctions can prevent him from spending holidays in Turkey or Egypt. But he does not feel like. Lazavik confessed to the European Radio for Belarus that he is “a quiet madman” and enjoys fishing at a lake in Belarus when he has free time. That’s why he will go to a sanatorium in the northern Belarus this year.
“I have already planned to rest at the Baravoye sanatorium. There is a beautiful lake there where you can swim and fish. I am so to say a “quiet madman”. There are those who hunt hares in woods and swamps. But there are “quiet madmen” who sit quietly with a fishing rod at a lake”.
According to the official, EU sanctions do not affect his personal life. Yet, they create hurdles for his professional activities and for the development of democracy in Belarus. Sanctions hamper the Central Elections Commission in international activities. This affects the relations with the organizations which allegedly fight for democracy in this country. His only concern is that the prices at Belarusian sanatoriums do not match the quality of service.
