Swedish MFA head about situation in Belarus: “We are disappointed”

The European Unions still hopes the Belarusian authorities will move forward to European values.

On November 17, the EU Council made a conclusion to extend visa restrictions on official Minsk until October 2010, but freeze them until October. The Belarusian authorities are given time to reform the electoral legislation; secure freedom of association; create conditions for activity of non-governmental organizations; guarantee freedom of press; lift restrictions from personal liberty.

“Due to the absence of tangible progress in the areas identified in the Council Conclusions of 13 October 2008, the Council is not able to lift the restrictive measures in place against certain officials of Belarus. Therefore, it decides to extend until October 2010 the restrictive measures. < ...> However, in order to encourage progress in the areas identified by the EU, the Council decides at the same time to extend the suspension of the application of the travel restrictions imposed on certain officials of Belarus <...> until October 2010,” the Council conclusion on Belarus says.

The conclusion shows that the EU position is transparent and firm. “We have prolonged the sanctions, but we have suspended their application. That is, we are still in a period of engaging with authorities in Belarus to try to move them further in the direction of European values. I can easily say we are disappointed with the pace of progress, but we have not given up yet,” Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said at a press conference answering a question to Euroradio. He added the EU would continue to encourage Belarus to set it in the right direction. He noted that much had been done in this direction, in particular, clear statements and values were included in the Council decision.

Journalists couldn’t keep from smiling during Carl Bildt’s statement on extension and suspension of the sanctions. Euroradio’s question provoked other participants of the press conference to raise the Belarusian issue. Carl Bildt had to explain the media that the Belarusian question was at a lower level. The member states found a compromise so easily that the ministries didn’t need to discuss it. Reports of two foreign ministers on their recent visits to Minsk were heard and opportunities of changes were evaluated. Bildt said the EU wouldn’t give up but it didn’t mean that "Scandinavian-style democracy" could be achieved by Belarus "by next Wednesday."