European Commissioner: Due to COVID-19 Belarus Changes Approach to Relations with EU

European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced a change in Belarus’s approach to the EU. In particular, Minsk asked Brussels for macro-financial assistance because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the coronavirus pandemic, Belarus takes a completely different approach to relations with the EU than before. The European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said this on Tuesday, May 19, at a hearing in the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, a DW correspondent reports. “There is a unique opportunity now in Belarus. Interestingly enough, it is because of the COVID-19 crisis that we see a completely different approach to the EU emerging in the country. The government (Belarus.-Ed.) is engaging with us, we have had several contacts already,” Varhelyi said. As an example, he cited the request of Minsk for financial assistance to combat the economic consequences of the pandemic. “They asked for macro-financial assistance, and we are trying to help. Unfortunately, they could not agree on assistance with the IMF,” the European Commissioner specified, meaning that Minsk’s cooperation with the International Monetary Fund is one of the prerequisites for providing EU assistance. Varhelyi promised that as soon as Minsk agrees with the IMF and when the EU formulates specific loan conditions "we, of course, will immediately provide macro-financial assistance." Brussels is now approving an emergency program of similar macro-financial support (loans on favorable terms to neighboring states to support their balance of payments) for ten countries as part of a neighborhood and enlargement policy, including Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The total package volume is 3 billion euros. “I think that we now have a historic opportunity to really turn the tide and develop a positive impetus in our relations,” Varhelyi summarized. Belarus is the only country from the Eastern Partnership program that has not signed a framework partnership agreement with the EU. Minsk and Brussels have been negotiating for such a document for several years, but it is not yet clear when this can happen.