MEPs called on EU to keep pressure on Lukashenka’s regime

• 15.07.2008, 10:45

The Socialist Group in the European Parliament calls on the EU and its member states to keep pressure on the regime of Lukashenka to ensure democratic elections”.

“It is hard to envisage any significant change in the basic situation in Belarus prior to the elections,” vice-president of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Jan Marinus Wiersma said.

“I am afraid that once again they will not be free and fair,” the MEP noted.

The Socialist Group is the second biggest group in the European Parliament that influences formation of public opinion in the countries of the continent. It is an organiser of a round table, which is to be held in Brussels, focused on pre-electoral situation in Belarus, conditions of holding the elections and prospects for the Belarusian left partiers.

Leaders of two Belarusian social democratic parties, Stanislau Shushkevich (Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada), Mikola Statkevich (Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada)) and Volha Kazulina, daughter of the political prisoner and head of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) will be guest speakers at the round table. Radio Svaboda, referring to the website of the parliamentary group, informs.

The round table in the European Parliament is to begin at 5.00 pm (local time).