Representatives of Belarusian opposition met European Parliament deputies in Vilnius
- 29.10.2008, 11:39
On October 28 in Vilnius representatives of Belarusian opposition met deputies of the European Parliament, members of the group on work with Belarus.
On the agenda of European deputies this event is called a visiting session of the group. It is notable that two weeks ago members of the group wanted to come to Minsk. But they couldn’t get Belarusian visas, Radio Svaboda informs.
The European delegation in Vilnius was headed by Polish MP Jacek Protasiewicz. The high status of the parliamentarians is confirmed by the fact that they were received by the Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus. Meetings with the Belarusian opposition were preceded by consultations with Lithuanian Seimas deputies and visit to the European Humanities University.
In the talks Belarus was represented by Alyaksandar Kazulin, Syarhei Kalyakin, Viktar Karniyenka, Zhana Litvina, Anatol Lyabedzka, Uladzimir Navasyad, Alyaksei Yanukevich. Yury Bandazheuski took part in the discussion as well.
Anatol Lyabedzka said to Radio Svaboda that Belarusian politicians explained to European politicians their vision of the dialogue. It shouldn’t be reduced to talks between Europeans and the Belarusian authorities only. The Belarusian opposition must take part in the process indisputably.
“We have explained our approach. Our attitude to the words of some European Ambassadors’ accredited in Minsk who say that it is possible to carry out talks on the bilateral level excluding the democratic forces is critical.
Our position is as following: we do not say that we will sit at one table tomorrow, round or square one. But our strict approach is that the United Democratic Forces. And European deputies share it,” the politician said.
Jacek Protasiewicz, the discussion’s moderator, summing up its results, said that the Belarusian opposition now reasonably states the change of the electoral legislation to be the key problem. He especially likes the idea of collection of signatures on changes in the Electoral Code among citizens of Belarus. As Mr Protasiewicz said, it is extremely important for the regime to hear not only politicians, but to common citizens of Belarus as well”.
Jacek Protasiewicz told that he will inform the leadership of the European Parliament and European Union about the results of the today’s meeting. A personal talk with Helga Schmidt, the main representative of the EU in the talks with Belarus, is to take place. According to Jacek Protasiewicz, Helga Schmidt plans to visit Minsk soon.
On October 9 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Belarus. After that the Council of the European Union suspended visa sanctions against a number of Belarusian officials including Alyaksandr Lukashenka for half a year. In the middle of October the chairman of the European parliament and leaders of the factions called upon the Belarusian authorities “to lift ban for entering Belarus for politicians of the European Union”.