Representatives Of Visegrad Group Countries Met With Belarusian Opposition Leaders

They discussed the current situation in Belarus and the EU sanctions against Lukashenka’s regime.

On February 9, representatives of the Belarusian opposition met in Minsk with political directors of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Visegrad Group (VG) Ivan Estrzhab (Czech Republic), Levente Benkё (Hungary), Bogumil Ordyk (Poland) and Peter Mishik (Slovakia).

The Belarusian side was represented by Yury Hubarevich, Anatol Liabedzka, Uladzimir Niakliaeu, Vital Rymasheuski and Aliaksei Yanukevich.

“We talked about the current situation in Belarus and discussed the possibilities of canceling or carrying on the moratorium on the withdrawal of EU sanctions against Belarusian officials, as well as the situation in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections this year”, – chairman of the BPF Party Aliaksei Yanukevich told BelaPAN.

According to him, at the meeting the politician was talking about the necessity to work out a step by step roadmap as “only such an approach can provide a systematic dialogue”. It is also important that the steps taken by the EU “were not one-sided, and there was a list of steps of the Belarusian authorities, primarily related to the amendments to the electoral law, the Criminal Code, the law on the media.”

Yanukevich informed that the representatives of the Visegrad Group spoke of “dramatic changes taking place in our region in recent years,” as well as “the preconditions for a fresh start in relations between Belarus and the EU.”

“This new launch is taking place today. However, they have noted that the development and consolidation of a strong civil society is one of their top priorities, they will continue to monitor the situation of human rights and freedoms in Belarus, at the parliamentary elections in particular,” – the party leader said.

He said that the representatives of the Visegrad countries did not specify their position on the abolition or extension of the sanctions. “They stressed that the decision hadn’t been adopted. It will be taken following the results of the visit of the European officials”, – Yanukevich said.