Youth wings of Belarusian Popular Front, Poland’s Civic Platform sign cooperation agreement

The youth wings of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) and Poland’s Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform) have signed a five-year cooperation agreement.

The deal was inked by Franak Vyachorka, leader of the BPF youth wing, and Dariusz Dolczewski, leader of Stowarzyszenie Mlodzi Demokraci (the Association of Young Democrats), in Minsk on November 2.

The agreement is aimed at “putting an end to political persecution against young activists in Belarus,” expanding cooperation in the spheres of culture, education and information between the countries and stepping up contacts between the two organizations.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Vyachorka expressed hope that the parties also would sign a similar agreement.

Mr. Dolczewski noted that the Polish association would call for sanctions against Belarusian government officials “as long as there are people in Belarus who cannot leave their own country.”

BPF Chairman Lyavon Barshchewski expressed gratitude to the Association of Young Democrats for the participation of their representatives in a march to Kurapaty, a Stalin-era massacre site near Minsk, staged by the Belarusian party on Sunday.

Civic Platform has the largest faction in Poland’s Sejm and formed the country’s government along with the People’s Party in 2007.