Belarusian MFA: PACE resolution is ordinary routine document

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus estimated the PACE resolution adopted yesterday.

Andrei Savinykh, the press secretary of the Belarusian MFA, said it in a statement at a briefing today, BelTA reports.

“The resolution can be called an ordinary routine document that is based on questionable materials and false accusations taken from Internet. The author (Andres Herkel, PACE rapporteur on Belarus, head of the Estonian delegation to the Council of Europe – BelTA’s note) has not visited Belarus and has not applied for the Belarusian visa. He did not come with the parliamentary delegation of Estonia that visited Minsk in October last year within the framework of the inter-parliamentary cooperation. This speaks louder than words,” Andrei Savinykh said.

Besides, he notes PACE did not even invite Belarusian MPs to discuss this opus. “This is an eloquent proof of their biased approaches. We see little common sense in such actions recently, there is no logic here. They rather seek to meet career, reputational or political needs of the initiators,” the Belarusian MFA spokesman added.

We remind that PACE adopted a resolution that fully supports the European Union “regime of targeted sanctions until the release and full rehabilitation of all political prisoners, and urge the Belarusian authorities to end the crackdown on political opponents”. Besides, PACE recommends the Committee of Ministers to make an appropriate call to the Council of Europe member states.

According to the resolution, PACE is deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation of human rights and civil and political liberties in Belarus and condemns the harassment of dissidents.

The resolution calls on the EU countries to maintain and consider sanctions against Belarus, “especially against state-owned enterprises connected with President Lukashenka and other senior officials” and continue to support NGOs.

The resolution offers PACE to intensify cooperation with representatives of non-governmental organizations, independent media, political opposition and independent trade unions. It also recommends to put on hold the activities involving high-level contacts with the Belarusian authorities and calls not to lift the suspension of the special guest status for the Parliament of Belarus until imposing a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty in Belarus and demonstrating progress in democracy.