Minsk hopes for Belarusian-Western normalisation to continue

The European Parliament approved a resolution condemning “repressions before and during the March 25^th demonstration” in Belarus and describing the actions of Belarusian security forces as “disproportionate and inappropriate”. Minsk harshly responded to the EP resolution about human rights in Belarus, but, unlike the Kremlin, cautiously reacted to the US missile strike on the Syrian air base in Sheirat. The Belarusian leadership expects the geopolitical confrontation and tension between the Western capitals and Moscow to intensify, which, in all likelihood, should reduce claims and criticism by the EU and the US towards the Belarusian authorities regarding their actions in relation to the opposition and the protest movement. Despite the sharp reaction of some European institutions to tightening pressure on the opposition, the authorities aspire to continue normalisation with the EU and the US and demonstrate readiness for some concessions with regard to human rights and democracy. The Belarusian authorities are likely to relax the grip on the opponents after they are finally convinced that unauthorised street protests have been curtailed.