Disinfo: The IMF conditions loans to Belarus with gender equality and rights of sexual minorities

Summary

Strangely, the IMF projects economic decline and unemployment growth in Belarus, although in contrast to foreign countries, it did not implement lockdown measures. It is possible that the Belarusian opposition provided fake statistics to the IMF. As a precondition for a new loan the IMF demands a free price formation. In practice this would mean that prices for surgical masks, antiseptics, drugs, and toilet paper would increase many times during the epidemic. The IMF has long ago become a fake organisation bogged down in bureaucracy, intrigues, and money-laundering. However it conditions the financial support with elections, social programs for population, and even gender equality. It soon may lead to a situation where the IMF will be dealing with sexual minority issues and defend their rights. Furthermore, the IMF is now pushing the government of Belarus to introduce strict limitation for population due to the coronavirus epidemic. Instead of cooperation with the IMF Belarus should negotiate with Russia within the Union State of Russia and Belarus. Russia does not have similar preconditions for price regulation, domestic policies, gender equality, or sexual minorities.

Disproof

This publication contains ungrounded allegations about the IMF and its conditioning policy, as well as about the Belarusian opposition which allegedly provides fake statistics to the IMF. It presents Russia as the one and only beneficial partner for Belarus and is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin propaganda narrative about mean Western actions towards Belarus. The IMF indeed projects Belarus's GDP to decline in 2020 by 6%. However it did not condition financial assistance to Belarus with election, gender equality, sexual minorities rights, or strict limitations amid the coronavirus outbreak. The IMF's Concluding Statement at the end of an official IMF staff visit to Belarus on 5-15 November 2018 advises Belarus to undertake structural reforms, to establish exchange rate flexibility, and to conduct a tighter monetary policy. This publication is one of many which promote a false dilemma for Belarus's development and which paints very bleak prospects for Belarus up to the complete loss of sovereignty and independence in case it does not proceed towards a very close integration format in relations with Russia. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Belarus faces either normal development under Russia or a forced Polonization and economic devastation, that the only possible scenario for Ukraine and Belarus to prevent their descent into Nazism through the politicisation of national clothes is to become a Russian western federal area, and that the direction of Belarus and other post-Soviet countries' political development is either a union with Russia or unavoidable degradation.

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Grodnodaily (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 196
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24/04/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Belarus, Russia
  • Keywords: Union State of Belarus and Russia, Economic difficulties, IMF, Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: EU will provide Ukraine with financial support in exchange for the banking system and destruction of trade unions

[…] for its handout, the European Union not only wants to control the country’s banking system but also to strengthen the fight against corruption (read – to expand the network of grant-eaters), to reduce social payments (goodbye pensioners and the poor), to ban trade unions and to approve a Labour Code that legalises slave labour. But, of course, the adoption of the anti-Kolomoyskiy law by the Verkhovna Rada remains the key condition. Amendments to this law are currently being considered by the relevant committee [in the parliament].

Apr 23, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Ukraine and its relations with the European Union. No such demands have been made upon Ukraine. As explained by the permanent representative of Ukraine to the EU, Mykola Tochytskyi, Ukraine will receive €1.2 billion in two tranches to overcome the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first €600 million will be provided at once, after the approval of the decision by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union unconditionally. The second tranche of €600 million will be provided under conditions. These conditions must be defined by the negotiations which will start soon. Therefore, the exact conditions on which this support will be granted to Ukraine have not yet been defined. Tochytskyi mentioned that, in general, such conditions may include: improvement of public finance management, labour and social security, further development of anti-corruption laws and business regulations. Moreover, Ukraine's cooperation with the IMF is another important condition. See previous disinformation narratives challenging EU-Ukraine relations and, in particular, the Association Agreement: Europe destroyed Ukraine, The EU Association Agreement destroyed the Ukrainian economy.

Disinfo: Under Zelenskyy, Ukraine does not advance in the implementation of the Minsk agreements

During the presidency of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, no significant progress has been achieved in resolving the conflict in Donbas. According to experts, the Ukrainian authorities are taking their time in showing commitment to the Minsk agreements. Such tactics only prolong the conflict, and without external influence on Kyiv from the West, there is little hope for its resolution.

Apr 23, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about war in Ukraine, casting Ukraine as the sole responsible party for implementation of the Minsk agreements. At the end of April 2020, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian side in the Trilateral Contact Group offered to hold negotiations in a video format so that negotiations could continue. “At the beginning of each week, we have a Minsk video-call. We want to move forward. Because it is the only thing that brings us closer to solving this issue globally," the Ukrainian President emphasised. At the end of January 2020, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution on the status of the monitoring procedure, where Russia was named as a “party to the Minsk agreements”. The PACE resolution noted that the Russian authorities should, among other things, “fully implement the Minsk agreements to which the Russian Federation is a party and to end its military intervention in, and support for, illegally armed formations in Eastern Ukraine." Since 2014, negotiations with Russia to resolve the conflict in the Donbas have been held within the framework of the Normandy Format and the Minsk process. A special Trilateral contact group is working on a peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas. Three parties are involved in this process: representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE. Unofficially, representatives of the "LDNR" factions are also present. The second set of measures to implement the Minsk agreements was signed on 12 February 2015. The first paragraph of the document relates to an immediate ceasefire. Next, it is necessary to withdraw heavy weapons, ensure OSCE monitoring, release prisoners, grant Donbas special status and hold local elections, provide amnesty to the parties involved in the conflict and restore control over the Ukrainian-Russian border in the conflict zone. You can read other similar cases claiming that Ukraine does not fulfill key point of Minsk agreements on negotiation with the "LDNR" or that Ukraine broke the Minsk agreements by allowing the National Police on the contact line.

Disinfo: Refugees from Greek camps will jeopardise Germany's health and safety

The German government is increasingly delivering the so-called refugees from Greek camps to Germany and believes that this is how the country fulfils its “humanitarian duty”. In fact, it jeopardises public health. It is likely that all of these migrants are infected with the coronavirus.

Apr 23, 2020
Disproof

This is a part of the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about migrants. The Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community of Germany states that all persons seeking protection who are registered on arrival will be examined, to see whether there are any indications of coronavirus infections. This is to be done within the routine medical examinations that are already carried out, using a suitable test. The aim of this measure is to prevent infected persons from entering reception centres and endangering the health of residents and employees. If a person is found to have coronavirus, it lets the authorities make a quick decision on the necessary treatment and quarantine measures. On the 8 April, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet agreed to accept 50 migrant children and youths from overcrowded camps on Greek islands. Germany’s interior ministry said it aimed to begin the transfer of unaccompanied minors, aged under 14, the following week from Greece, which has been the main gateway into the EU for people fleeing conflict in the Middle East and beyond. On arrival in Germany, the young people will be placed into quarantine for two weeks before they are divided up across Germany, the ministry said, adding that it was part of an agreement among ten other EU member states.