Belarus' First-World Country Status: A Complex Question

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus has a population of 9.1 million people and is officially led by President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 and is often referred to as Europe's last dictator.

Belarus was formerly known as Belorussia or White Russia and was the smallest of the three Slavic republics included in the Soviet Union, gaining independence in 1991 during the dissolution of the USSR. Since then, Belarus has retained close ties with Russia, its most dominant neighbour, and is heavily dependent on it for energy supplies.

In this context, the question arises whether Belarus can be considered a first world country.

Belarus's history of authoritarian rule

Belarus has a history of authoritarian rule that dates back to the early 20th century. Here is a detailed overview:

The Early 20th Century: Between the medieval period and the 20th century, various states controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, different states emerged, vying for legitimacy amid the Civil War. This ultimately led to the rise of the Byelorussian SSR, which became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922.

World War II: During World War II, Belarus, then known as the Byelorussian SSR, suffered devastating losses, losing about a quarter of its population and half of its economic resources. The republic was home to a diverse anti-Nazi insurgent movement, which dominated politics well into the 1970s and oversaw Belarus' transformation from an agrarian to an industrial economy.

Post-World War II: In the post-war Soviet years, Belarus became one of the most prosperous parts of the USSR. However, Soviet agricultural and economic policies, including collectivization and five-year plans, led to famine and political repression in the 1920s and 1930s. Joseph Stalin implemented a policy of Sovietization to isolate the Byelorussian SSR from Western influences, sending Russians to key positions in the government.

The Emergence of Lukashenko: After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Belarus gained independence. In 1994, Alexander Lukashenko was elected as the first president of the country in its only free election after independence. Lukashenko has maintained a highly centralized and authoritarian government, often described as "Europe's last dictatorship." He has opposed the privatization of state enterprises and maintained close ties with Russia, signing a treaty for greater cooperation in 2000.

Crackdown on Dissent: Lukashenko's rule has been marked by harsh penalties for opposition figures and a suppression of free speech and the press. The country ranks low in international measurements of freedom of the press and civil liberties. In 2020, mass protests erupted after Lukashenko sought a sixth term in office, and he was accused of rigging the election. These protests were met with force, resulting in arrests and police crackdowns.

International Reactions: The European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada have all imposed sanctions on Belarus due to its political oppression and the rigged election. Lukashenko has also drawn criticism for his government's role in diverting a Ryanair flight in 2021 to arrest an opposition journalist, Roman Protasevich.

The history of Belarus has been marked by periods of foreign rule, repression, and authoritarian governance. The country's path to democracy and the protection of human rights remains a key focus for the international community.

The country's close ties with Russia

Belarus and Russia have a long history of close ties, which have been strengthened by their geographic proximity, shared historical and cultural links, and economic interdependence. In 1999, the two countries signed the Agreement on the Establishment of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which set a legal framework for integration and cooperation. The agreement outlined several key goals, including ensuring peaceful and democratic development, establishing a single economic and customs area, and pursuing agreed-upon foreign, defence, and social policies.

Russia is Belarus's key trade partner and major export market. In 2022, mutual trade between the two countries increased by almost 15%, and Russia accounts for more than half of Belarus's foreign trade. They cooperate in various sectors, including energy, transport, and industry, and have launched joint projects for the production of import-substituting products. Belarus and Russia are also members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), which promotes free trade and the movement of goods, services, capital, and labour force among its members.

In addition to economic ties, Belarus and Russia have strong political and military relations. They coordinate their foreign policies and have achieved significant results in security, defence, anti-terrorist activities, and the fight against crime. They conduct joint military exercises and have set up a joint regional military force. Both countries work towards ensuring equal rights for their citizens, and Belarusians and Russians enjoy equal opportunities in employment, choice of residence, education, healthcare, and social protection.

Cultural ties between the two countries are also strong, with joint cultural projects such as the annual festival Slaviansky Bazar in Vitebsk, as well as various art, theatre, and cinema festivals held annually.

Despite occasional tensions and differences, the geopolitical realities and mutual dependencies keep Belarus and Russia closely tied together.

The economic decline following independence

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It gained independence from the Soviet Union on 25 August 1991. Following independence, Belarus experienced an economic decline.

During the Soviet post-war years, Belarus was one of the most prosperous parts of the USSR. However, this changed with the country's newfound independence. President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, has steadfastly opposed the privatisation of state enterprises, and the country is heavily dependent on Russia for its energy supplies. Belarus has retained several Soviet-era policies, such as state ownership of large sections of the economy.

The 2000s saw some economic disputes between Belarus and Russia, its primary economic partner. In 2004, for instance, Russian energy giant Gazprom ceased the import of gas into Belarus due to price disagreements. Belarus has also been criticised by rights bodies for suppressing free speech, muzzling the press, and denying the opposition access to state media.

In 2011, Belarus suffered a severe economic crisis attributed to the Lukashenko government's centralised control of the economy, with inflation reaching 108.7%. The country has also faced sanctions from the EU, UK, US, and Canada due to political oppression and its role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The suppression of free speech and press freedom

Belarus has one of the most oppressive media climates in the world, ranking 157th in the RSF World Press Freedom Index. The country's leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has signed laws that further restrict media freedoms, including the ability for the Ministry of Information to shut down media outlets without court approval. The laws also allow local prosecutors to block and censor websites.

The Belarusian media landscape is one of the most restrictive in the world, with nearly all independent media being banned, websites blocked and/or declared "extremist". Foreign-owned media continuously face significant barriers to receiving accreditation from the Belarusian authorities, which limits the possibility of getting information out of the country.

The main source of danger for media professionals in Belarus are the authorities, the police, and the courts. It is common for journalists to be imprisoned for long periods on trumped-up charges. At the beginning of 2024, 34 media professionals in Belarus remained in prison, with prison terms of up to 14 years.

Since the 2020 presidential elections, there have been flagrant violations of law and human rights, and a move towards further autocracy. This included the detention of dozens of journalists, media managers, and bloggers, and the aggressive suppression of critical voices. During the 2020 Belarusian protests, several independent journalists were arrested in different cities. According to a statement by the Belarusian Association of Journalists, on August 10, internal troops and other government forces deliberately shot rubber bullets at independent journalists in Minsk, who wore visible jackets and had personal IDs.

The government has also banned most independent and opposition newspapers from being distributed by the state-owned postal and kiosk systems, forcing the papers to sell directly from their newsrooms and use volunteers to deliver copies. However, authorities sometimes harass and arrest the private distributors. The government has also disrupted social media in an attempt to quash legitimate dissent.

The role of Belarus in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine

Belarus is a close ally of Russia and has supported its eastern neighbour in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In the lead-up to the invasion, Belarus allowed the Russian Armed Forces to perform military drills on its territory. Russian troops did not exit the country as scheduled and Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its territory, giving Russia the shortest possible land route to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. Belarus also allowed Russian missile launchers to be stationed on its territory and shoot at Ukrainian targets.

According to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, Lukashenko assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the start of the invasion that he would not involve his nation's armed forces on the side of Russia. However, there have been several reports from the Belarusian opposition and Ukrainian military that Belarusian troops were in Ukraine fighting alongside Russians. Lukashenko has denied these claims and stated that the Belarusian Armed Forces would not participate directly in the conflict.

The involvement of Belarus was condemned in Western countries, with the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan imposing sanctions against the country. According to Chatham House, Belarus's participation in the military conflict is unpopular among the general population, with protests held on 27 February 2022, the day of the constitutional referendum.

Belarus also played a role in peace initiatives, holding Russo-Ukrainian talks on its border. Despite some preliminary agreements, the talks did not result in a lasting ceasefire.

Belarus's assistance to Russia's invasion drew condemnation from Western powers. The US, the UK, and the EU have all announced sanctions against Belarus, targeting banks, exports, and military officials. The EU has also banned Belarusian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system and frozen ties with Belarus' central bank.

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