Belarusiain “parliament”: European Parliament’s resolution is discriminatory

Deputies of the “parliament” of Belarus insist on equal conditions of participation in the parliamentary structure of the Eastern Partnership.

It has been stated by Syarhei Maskevich, the chairman of the commission on International Affairs and Ties with the CIS of the “chamber of representatives”, “Interfax” reports.

“As long as the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly is one of the structures of the Eastern Partnership, we expect equal conditions in forming this parliamentary dimension of the Eastern Partnership,” Maskevich said.

As said by him, “we are seriously concerned by the resolution adopted by the European Parliament yesterday; the parliament of Belarus expected a different decision”.

“This decision is viewed as discriminatory by us,” Maskevich said. (It is said in the resolution that large-scale participation of the Belarusian “parliament” in the Euronest is possible only after fair parliamentary elections).

As said by him, “it would hardly contribute to realization of the Eastern Partnership program, and in general to development of our relations with the European Union”.

“We would like to believe that we would be able to concretely establish equal conditions of Belarus’ participation in the parliamentary structure of the Eastern Partnership,” Maskevich said.

As charter97.org website informed, on December 17 by a majority of votes the European Parliament passed a resolution on Belarus, in which repressions of the Belarusian authorities were condemned. The resolution adopted by the European Parliament has a call to the Belarusian authorities to investigate the cases of abductions of young political activists and the death of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, and to release political prisoners

Members of the European parliament called upon Minsk to continue cooperation with the OSCE on reforming the electoral legislation, and to develop the dialogue with the democratic opposition.

European parliamentarians expect Belarusian authorities would reform the law on mass media according to recommendations of international experts next year, reverse article 193-1 of the Criminal Code; allow registration of political parties and organisations of civil society; create favourable conditions for NGO and independent mass media.

“The dialogue on the Euronest should be productive,” the document reads. “Belarus will be invited to the full-fledged participation after the parliament of the country would be elected in a free election. So far options are rather interim”.