EU blackmails Belarus
WORKERS, JAN 2007 ISSUE
On the pretext of a report from the International Labour Organisation supposedly critical of Belarus' trade unions, the EU has threatened to withdraw from the Republic of Belarus economic trading agreements under its Generalised System of Preferences. The threat has come as something of a surprise to Belarus, which has trade union density in the region of 90 per cent – even by the CIA's World Fact Book analysis. Belarus and the ILO seemingly have continued discussion about the ILO report into trade unionism without acrimony.
What is the EU threat about? Perhaps it is because Belarus shows no intention of applying for EU membership. Could it be because Belarus has resisted siren calls to allow mass migration to the West? Could it be because Belarus has refused to privatise its oil and manufacturing industries in line with EU dictat? Unemployment in Belarus is quoted at 1.6 per cent (again CIA World Fact Book) as compared with 17 per cent in Poland, whose industrial base is now almost solely in British and EU hands.
While Poland's population is falling, with migration being the major option for many young Poles under 25, Belarus is increasing investment in education and health. The CIA World Fact Book bemoans Belarus' pursuit of "market socialism" with a wide range of redistributive economic policies helping those at the bottom of the income ladder.
The government has renationalised a number of private companies, expanded the role of the state to intervene in private company management and even outrageously "arrested disruptive businessmen and factory owners"! No wonder the EU is sulking.
The EU first threatened these economic sanctions in September 2006. At the time the idea was rejected by EU countries which find purchasing Belarus oil of more value than listening to Brussels commissioners rattling sabres.