Javier Solana met with Milinkevich and Kazulin

On February 19 the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union Javier Solana is on an official visit to Belarus.

The EU High Representative started his day with the meeting with the delegation of Belarusian opposition which included the former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin, “For Freedom” movement leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich, the chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Aleh Hulak, economist Pavel Danejka, the chairman of the Belarusian Congress of the Democratic Trade Unions Alyaksandr Yarashuk.

At the meeting with Javier Solana, Alyaksandr Kazulin told about new political prisoners which have appeared in Belarus. Leaders of businessmen Mikalay Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka, as well as the “Young Front” activist Artsyom Dubski were arrested in Minsk recently. The politician has also told the EU High Representative about harsh disband of the oppositional rally of February 14 and on the Day of Belarusian Solidarity on February 16. During these rallies dozens of peaceful protesters were beaten up.

At the meeting the chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Zhanna Litvina described the situation with freedom of speech in Belarus.

“Firstly, I attracted attention of Mr Solana to the fact that the steps done by the Belarusian authorities towards Europe: holding round table discussions on the new law on mass media, cancelling of registration for online editions, return of the two independent Belarusian newspapers into the system of state distribution, – haven’t resulted in cardinal, radical change in the situation with mass media in Belarus.

I told that global problems remain the same still. The state monopoly on printed and electronic mass media remains unchanged. Belarusian state-run mass media perform a propaganda role. I told to Mr Solana that under such conditions a full dialogue cannot be conducted. They all put the brakes on the progress towards liberalization.

During the meeting I told that the blockade of independent mass media distribution should be stopped. We are greatly concerned by the law on counteraction to extremism and its application against Belarusian journalists. In the end of our meeting we gave Mr Solana the address on mass media situation in Belarus, written by the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

In his final word Javier Solana stated that the European Union would pay attention to the situation with freedom of speech and expression in Belarus,” Zhanna Litvina said in an interview to the Charter’97 press-centre.

Besides, negotiations of the European Union delegation with Alyaksandr Lukashenka and the Foreign Minister of Belarus are planned for today.