Strasbourg demands to release Alyaksandr Kazulin

The Belarusian Week, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic ended in Strasbourg. Meetings of the Belarusian democratic leaders with members of the European Parliament were organised in its frames. At all meetings the European politicians spoke for immediate and unconditional release of former candidate for presidency in Belarus Alyaksandr Kazulin and other Belarusian political prisoners.

Vintsuk Vyachorka, deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front Party and initiator of the event, told the Charter’97 press center how the Belarusian Week had been held in the European Parliament.

Mr Vintsuk, how the Belarusian question was discussed in Strasbourg?

– The largest fraction of the European Parliament – European People’s Party-European Democrats held a session, where the Belarusian question was heard. There were also a session of the Delegation for Relations with Belarus heading by Polish MEP Jacek Protasiewicz and a round table with the EPP-ED leadership. There also were many bilateral meetings with members of the European Parliament. The Belarusian political and public leaders had a special meeting with BNR President Ivonka Survilla. We discussed how to coordinate our activity, how to cooperate for our common ideals.

– What view do the EP members have on Belarus?

– The European Parliament is concerned with the fact the release of political prisoners was stopped. This question is not considered to be closed. Of course, they are happy that people are being released, but Alyaksandr Kazulin, Andrei Kim, Syarhei Parsyukevich are in prisons, criminal cases against dozen of oppositionist have been initiated. All Europeans understand it is a game, bargaining of human destinies. These bargaining won’t be accepted as real fulfilment of any conditions.

The MEPs are concerned of threat of our independence, going from Russia, which is using our energy dependence. They have no illusions concerning Medvedev’s coming to power. It was formulated that a strategy of relations with Belarus should be worked out, in particular, how to get freedom and not to jeopardise the independence. I think, it a serious challenge for the members of the European Parliament, it’s important they won’t fell for the temptation to acknowledge Lukashenka for he will suddenly become a “defender” of independence.

What concerns the position, the EP leadership and the MEPs have, firstly, it is confirmation that Belarusian independence and statehood is an integral part of European community, it is the main value. It is an unprecedented event and I’m happy I was one of its originators.

The Europeans also hope for unity of the European forces. A unified list of candidates (not full yet) for the coming parliamentary election was welcomed. All of them understand what the regime is planning during the election. They are fully agree with us, if the authorities are aiming and hoping for partially, in best case, acknowledgement of the election campaign, the next requirements must be fulfilled: access of the opposition to election commissions, registration of all candidate from the unified list, real possibility to observe. It should take place not in vacuum, but in the context.