Jerzy Buzek: Dictators cannot be legitimated
- 16.05.2012, 9:44
Poland has been called to determine its position on moving the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship from Minsk.
MEP Jerzy Buzek, a former president of the European Parliament, called the chairman of the Polish Ice Hockey Federation (PIHF) Zdzislaw Ingieliewicz to raise a question at a congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 17 on moving the 2014 championship from Minsk. The reason of the letter was the fact the PIHF has not determined its position on Belarus some days before the congress and has not received recommendations from the Polish Ministry of Sport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Jerzy Buzek noted in his letter human rights violations by the Belarusian authorities were an obstacle for holding the event in Belarus. “We stand against interference of politics with sport. But at the same time we consider it our duty to draw attention of sports officials to the situation, when noble and apolitical initiatives are being used to legitimate dictators and their governing methods,” Polskie Radio reports.
Another member of the European Parliament, Marek Migalski, appealed to the Polish sports minister Joanna Mucha asking to persuade the PIHF leadership to vote for moving the 2014 championship from Belarus at a congress on May 17, Telegraf news agency reminds. “If the 2014 championship is organized in Belarus, it will support the last dictator of Europe,” the politician noted.
“I can’t imagine such an important sporting event can be opened by Alyaksandr Lukashneka. It's due to him that many of the Belarusian opposition leaders are in jail facing torture and psychological pressure. Every day of the tournament in Belarus will create a positive image of the leader, who looks down on human rights, democracy and other values supported by the European community,” Marek Migalski added.
MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski says if Minsk preserves its right to host the 2014 ice hockey championship, democratic states should boycott the event. He noted The European Parliament and the European People's Party had the same position.
A group of 28 members of the US House of Representatives led by Democrat Mike Quigley and Republican John Shimkus, called on the International Ice Hockey Federation to remove World Championship 2014 from Minsk. This is stated in their open letter published on May 14.