BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

17/10/2008

Conference of Presidents calls on Belarus to lift entry ban on EU politicians

The European Parliament Conference of Presidents has called on the authorities of Belarus to lift their entry ban on EU politicians. The leaders of the European Parliament's political groups demanded on Thursday that Belarus reciprocate the Council's decision earlier this week to lift travel restrictions imposed on certain leading Belarusian politicians for a trial period of six months.

MEPs from Parliament's delegation for relations with Belarus are meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, later this month because they are not allowed to enter Belarus. Aliaksandr Milinkevich and Aleksandr Kozulin, Belarusian opposition leaders, have been invited to meet the MEPs on 28 October.

"The persistent refusal by the Belarusian authorities to issue visas to Western politicians is all the more objectionable as the Council has decided this week to lift the visa ban on certain Belarusian politicians. This act by the Council should be met with a reciprocal measure from the Belarusians", said Hans-Gert Pottering, President of the European Parliament.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on 9 October 2008 asking EU governments to re-examine sanctions against Minsk, with the aim of easing visa bans against Belarusian officials for six months. Those directly involved in violating democratic election standards and human rights would not be concerned.

The delegation of Parliament will also meet Belarusian students of the European Humanities University in exile in Vilnius. In its resolution the House asked the Council and the Commission to call on the Belarusian Government to enable the European Humanities University to return legally to Belarus.

MEPs seeking to observe elections in Belarus have also been barred from entering the country.

REF: 20081017IPR39860

Kontakt

Jaume Duch Guillot

Spokesperson, European Parliament

* E-Mail : jaume.duch@europarl.europa.eu

* Telefon In Brussel : (32-2) 28 43000 (BXL)

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Katrin Ruhrmann

Spokesperson for the EP President

* E-Mail : katrin.ruhrmann@europarl.europa.eu