Brussels, 07/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 7 November, the political opposition member from Belarus, Andrei Dmitriev, who is deputy leader of Tell the Truth, called on the European Union to be more involved with Belarus. “There's a need for more EU for Belarus - it's crucial”, he told EUROPE, stating that Belarus needs “political resolve from Brussels” and a “unilateral decision” from Europe - and not for Europe to wait for a gesture from Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko. Dmitriev regretted that the EU did not have a strategy towards the Eastern Partnership countries - the governments of which are not inclined towards moving closer to the EU. He also regretted the EU's policy of waiting. “Europe must show that we are partners”, he said. He added that, despite the anti-Europe propaganda of the Belarusian regime and Russia, 40% of Belarusians think that “the EU is a good option”.
Dmitriev called on the EU to take action on visas - on cost and on procedures. He also wants the EU to launch programmes for Belarusian students, business people, doctors and teachers, “to make the EU more attractive for them”. The EU should conduct more trade with Belarus, he added.
Stating that it is necessary to continue discussions on human rights and political prisoners, Dmitriev proposed that the EU be proactive as regards the situation of political prisoners and put in place diplomatic representatives - in a system similar to the mission of presidents Cox and Kwasniewski in Ukraine on selective justice.
Dmitriev also called for “clearer rules” from the EU on visa bans. “The rules are not comprehensible”, he said, stating that he does not know how anyone is put on the list or removed from it. “The list of visa bans is not a strategy. I hope that no one thinks that this can solve anything”, he added (our translation throughout). (CG/transl.fl)