EU High Representative: Position on Belarus remains unchanged

The EU still considers Lukashenka the “last dictator of Europe” even after Berlusconi’s visit to Minsk, La Stampa writes.

Catherine Ashton, the newly elected EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy had to solve a delicate problem regarding the visit of the Italian PM to Minsk.

As Italian La Stampa writes, Ashton’s spokesperson confirmed yesterday the EU’s position on Belarus remained unchanged. Only two weeks have passed since the European foreign ministers stated absence of significant progress in human rights in Belarus and decided to extend restrictions, including the EU entry ban for Lukashenka, until October 2010.

We remind that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi paid a visit to Belarus on November 30. The Italian PM didn’t raise a question of human right in Belarus during his meeting with dictator Lukashenka. The issues of free elections, political prisoners, and freedom of speech weren’t discussed either.