Makey will not determine foreign policy, Shushkevich says

Like his predecessor Syarhey Martynaw, Uladzimir Makey will not determine Belarus’ foreign policy as this is the prerogative of Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his advisers, veteran opposition politician Stanislaw Shushkevich said Monday, commenting on the Belarusian leader’s decision to transfer Mr. Makey from the position of head of the Presidential Administration to the postion of foreign minister.

"I think Makey is more nimble and Martynaw was unconscionably complaisant, a typical graduate of MGIMO [Moscow State Institute of International Relations], a primitive servant," Dr. Shushkevich said in an interview with charter97.org.

"Makey is complaisant as well, but he is more sharp-witted. He had been in the position of head of the Presidential Administration for too long. Besides, he is barred from entering the EU. And now that he has appointed foreign minister, he may be able to travel abroad again. Probably, there is a plan behind this."