Yarmoshyna: “Decision of European Union is draconian”

The chair of the Central Election Commission has commented on the decision of the European Union to extend sanctions against Belarusian officials for a year.

On November 17 the Council of the European Union adopted a decision to extend visa sanctions against top Belarusian officials till October 2010. At the same time, these sanctions have been frozen for a year. Lidziya Yarmoshyna, the chair of the CEC, who is banned entry to the EU countries, called that “a draconian decision”.

“I find this decision draconian and undemocratic,” Yarmoshyna stated in an interview to Radio Svaboda. “The time has changed, and any restrictions of citizens’ rights, even if they are state officials, contradict realities of the 21st century. Only people who pose social danger constitute could be discussed. It contradicts humanitarian aims proclaimed by the European Union. It is also bad for work. My colleagues from the European countries election organisers association as well express their concern over the fact that I am banned entry to the EU. In a year a jubilee conference with take place in Budapest in connection with the 20th anniversary of the association, and I think that my colleagues would be disappointed, as it questions a possibility of my participation. Besides, this means professional ties. We can meet only at Minsk territory. However my colleagues cannot invite me to some countries to discuss democratic changes in Belarus. What for is it done? It’s all is nonsense. It is meaningless, undemocratic, but predictable”.

We remind that all election campaigns held in Belarus under Lukashenka regime were recognized as not free and unfair by the world community. The head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna was banned entry to the EU countries and the US for rigging election results.

On November 17 the Council of the European Union passed a decision to extend visa sanctions against official Minsk till October 2010. At the same time, these sanctions are “frozen” till October. The decision was approved without special discussion.

For the first time visa sanctions were imposed in 2004 against four Belarusian officials, by 2006 the list included 41 persons.

In October 2008 the head of the Foreign Ministries of the EU countries suspended sanctions against 36 persons from this list for half a year. 5 persons remained on the list. They are suspected by Europe to be involved in political disappearances in 1999-2000 (former Interior Ministers Yury Sivakou and Uladzimir Navumau, former State Secretary of Security Council Viktar Sheiman and commander of a special task unit of interior troops Dzmitry Paulichenka), as well as the head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna – for rigging results of elections and referenda.

On March 16, 2009 at the session in Brussels freezing of sanctions was extended for 9 months. The list was to remain in force for a year. At the same time it was stated that full lifting of all restrictive measures is possible.

Brussels specified 5 priority spheres which need to be improved in Belarus: reform of the electoral legislation, guarantees of freedom of association; creating conditions for NGOs’ activities; freedom of the press; lifting restrictions from personal freedom.