Jacek Saryusz-Wolski: European parliament didn’t want to make Lukashenka and Russia angry

The draft resolution of the European parliament which passing has been postponed to two weeks includes a warning of imposing sanctions against Belarusian authorities.

We remind that the European Parliament adopted a decision not to pass a resolution on crackdown of the Polish minority in Belarus, but to consider it in March.

Formally adoption of the resolution is postponed as MEPs, Socialists and Communists, want to wait for the results of the parliamentary mission which visits Minsk on February 25. It means that the visit to Brussels of Andzelika Borys, the leader of the unrecognized Union of Poles, and Alyaksandr Milinkevich, “For Freedom” movement leader, is to end without adopting any concrete resolutions against Belarusian authorities, Polish Radio informs.

On February 24 in Brussels a plenary session of the European Parliament with participation of Andzelika Borys and Alyaksandr Milinkevich was held. Opening the session, President of the EU Parliament Jerzy Buzek welcomed the guests from Belarus:

“I would like to welcome guests from Belarus among us. Unfortunately, Belarus is on front pages of newspapers again in connection with persecution of a public association. The European Parliament defends and will continue to defend universal values which are close to us, in which we believe. We will condemn authoritarian regimes which use the force and persecute democratic organisations just for having different views,” Jerzy Buzek said.

During the session MEPs planned to pass a resolution, however it was decided to return to this issue in two weeks.

The postponed vote on the resolution caused disputes among deputies. Everything started with resistance of left forces representatives. They explained their position by a necessity to follow procedures. However according MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, the reason was different.

“Frankly speaking, it seems to me that these are political motives, in order not to irritate Lukashenka, and probably Moscow,” Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said to Polish Radio.

The draft resolution prepared by Christian Democrats, the largest party in the European Parliament, included a warning about return to sanctions against Belarus I case human rights in the country would be violated again. Besides, the authors of the document noted that the Belarusian authorities should bring to an end political persecution of opponents if they are interested in financial support of the EU.

The situation with resolution adoption was unexpected, as in the past it never happened before that deputies sent an observation mission to a country before adopting a resolution on human rights violations.