David Kramer: Eastern Partnership summit without Belarusian authorities

The Freedom House president calls not to invite representatives of the Lukashenka regime to the summit in Vilnius.

David Kramer noted during a discussion in Lithuania on Wednesday that representatives of the Belarusians authorities should not visit the event in the current situation. He said he would like to see civil society and human rights activists as representatives of Belarus, Interfax news agency reports.

He said it would be unreal not to speak with the government at all, but people from the government should not be given such a platform as Eastern Partnership.

Belarus is among six EU neighbours included in the Eastern Partnership programme. The EU and the US imposed sanctions on Belarusian governmental officials accusing them of the crackdown on the opposition and human rights violations.

The EU and Eastern Partnership summit is scheduled for November 2013 in Vilnius. Lithuanian representatives expect leaders of EU biggest countries to attend the event.