Lithuania forgot 12 EU offers
- 25.08.2008, 15:52
Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Česlovas Juršėnas is going to propose the European Union to think about possible softening of policy of isolation of Belarus.
“The EU’s position on Belarus could be changed as we have seen new facts, for instance, release of political prisoners,” the head of the parliament noted to journalists on Monday after his meeting with Foreign Minister Petras Vaitekunas.
According to Juršėnas, it was a significant sign on the part of Belarus.
“Maybe it is necessary to relax pressure,” Juršėnas said.
Foreign Minister Vaitekunas told to journalists in his turn Belarus had changed its position towards the West.
“It is high time for Lithuania and other EU states to react the signals from Belarus,” he emphasised.
P. Vaitekunas thinks Lithuania should “change many things in the spheres of policy and economy with this neighbouring country.”
It should be reminded that in November, 2006, the European Union made 12 proposals on democratization of Belarus. Over the whole period of time the EU has stated firmly it’s not going to back out of this document and normalizing of relations between the official Minsk and Europe is impossible without the 12 recommendations being accepted by Minsk. The European Union calls on the Belarusian regime to:
1. respect the right of the people of Belarus to elect their leaders democratically – their right to hear all views and see all election candidates; the right of opposition candidates and supporters to campaign without harassment, prosecution or imprisonment; independent observation of the elections, including by Belarusian non-governmental organisations; their freedom to express their will and have their vote fairly counted;
2. respect the right of the people of Belarus to independent information, and to express themselves freely e.g. by allowing journalists to work without harassment or prosecution, not shutting down newspapers or preventing their distribution;
3. respect the rights of non-governmental organisations as a vital part of a healthy democracy – by no longer hindering their legal existence, harassing and prosecuting members of NGOs, and allowing them to receive international assistance;
4. release all political prisoners – members of democratic opposition parties, members of NGOs and ordinary citizens arrested at peaceful demonstrations or meetings;
5. properly and independently investigate or review the cases of disappeared persons;
6. ensure the right of the people of Belarus to an independent and impartial judicial system – with judges who are not subject to political pressure, and without arbitrary and unfounded criminal prosecution or politically-motivated judgements such as locking-up citizens who peacefully express their views;
7. end arbitrary arrest and detention, and ill-treatment;
8. respect the rights and freedoms of those Belarusian citizens who belong to national minorities;
9. respect the rights of the people of Belarus as workers – their right to join a trade union and the right of trade unions to work to defend the people’s rights;
10. respect the rights of the people of Belarus as entrepreneurs to operate without excessive
intervention by the authorities;
11. join the other nations of Europe in abolishing the death penalty;
12. make use of the support which the OSCE, the EU and other organisations offer to Belarus to help it respect the rights of its people.
The EU stands ready to renew its relationship with Belarus and its people as soon as the Belarusian government demonstrates respect for democratic values and for the basic rights of the Belarusian people.