Jerzy Buzek and Aliaksandr Milinkevich: Belarusian authorities make steps that contradict liberalization

According to the head of the European Parliament and to the Movement for Freedom (the MFF) leader, cessation of economic cooperation with the official Minsk on the part of the European Union would be a totally adequate answer to the intensification of repressions against the civil society.

The credit aid – as well as other financial aid – of the IMF and of the EU countries could be suspended. The EU wouldn’t sponsor a state in which totalitarian tendencies strengthen, and in which there is no progress in the area of democratization and respect of human rights. Such conclusion was made by Jerzy Buzek and Aliaksandr Milinkevich after their talks which lasted over an hour.

“Both our position and that of the European Parliament is very simple: dialogue cannot be conducted for dialogue’s sake alone. There should be some results. The EU’s measures focused on the development of dialogue yielded results: amid the crisis, our economy received significant support from the IMF and from other structures. However, no progress can be noticed on the part of Belarus: in fact, certain processes have started which are indicative of the intensification of repressions. In the absence of any steps forward, the EU would have to stop its aid, and wait for real steps on the part of Belarus. During our talk, I drew the attention of the European community to the fact that repressions against the independent Belarusian Poles’ Union are not repressions against a national minority, but are the example of persecution of civil society, as is the persecution of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, of the Young Front movement, and of the journalists who are apprehended and arrested. Dialogue cannot continue in such conditions. Such policy of the authorities is anti-Belarusian since it harms the national interests of our country”, Milinkevich is sure.

Buzek spoke about the need of direct dependence of the economic support on the improvement of situation with human rights. At the same time, European policy makers think the use of pure economic sanctions won’t yield the required result, but would very negatively influence the lives of common citizens.

According to the MFF leader, since the Belarusian authorities make no efforts to become sincere partners of the EU, the united Europe will certainly react to this. There could be no cooperation with a country which ignores the European values. The EU won’t compromise in what concerns human rights.

Milinkevich also expresses his regret that Belarus loses time not approaching the standards of the civilized world. The MFF leader thinks today’s authorities bear personal responsibility for this.

The final decision concerning Belarus will be made the next week at the European Parliament’s plenary session where the Belarusian issue will be considered. Four European deputies will visit Belarus in the nearest future. Apart from considering the issues relating to the Euronest, they will analyze and estimate the current situation with human rights.

Audio recording of the joint press-conference of Jerzy Buzek and Aliaksandr Milinkevich can be found here.

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