In a plenary debate on Tuesday 20 October MEPs once again expressed their support for the Belarusian people who have been demonstrating for 10 weeks against the Lukashenko regime.
Petras Auštrevičius (Renew Europe, Lithuania), European Parliament rapporteur on Belarus, argued for a 3S approach: solidarity, support for the population and sanctions against the regime. “The EU cannot be a passive observer”, he explained.
This approach was supported by his counterparts, most of whom called for additional sanctions, which need to be coordinated internationally, according to Kati Piri (S&D, Netherlands). Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/EFA, Germany), for her part, wanted sanctions to include those who spread disinformation and propaganda.
On behalf of the S&D Group, Croatian MEP Tonino Picula called for an end to cooperation with the Belarusian authorities. “A critical reassessment of the situation must be made, financial aid should only benefit civil society”, he explained, adding that the EU should help the victims of repression and address the socio-economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. For Andrzej Alitski (EPP, Poland), the EU must work with the coordination council set up by political opponent Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
On behalf of the EPP group, Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania) proposed the creation of a high-level EU mission on the model of the one created for Ukraine in 2012 (see EUROPE 10629/30) and an international investigation centre for crimes committed in Belarus.
“We need an independent fact-finding mission to investigate the repression that has taken place”, added Isabel Wiseler-Santos Lima (EPP, Luxembourg).
For his part, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, reiterated that the only way out of the current situation was to hold free and fair elections. “Only an inclusive national dialogue with the coordination council can lead to a sustainable dialogue and a way out of the crisis”, he added. Mr Borrell acknowledged that European efforts to date had been “useless”.
On Wednesday MEPs will vote on Mr Auštrevičius's large report, which looks beyond the post-election situation to consider EU-Belarus relations.
In particular, the report calls on the EU to prepare a comprehensive review of its policy towards the country. It also calls for the holding of free and fair elections before embarking on “a transparent and inclusive process of constitutional reform”. The need to amend legislation in order to guarantee fundamental civil rights and freedoms, such as freedom of assembly, association, expression and opinion and freedom of the press, is also stressed.
Finally, the report calls for consideration to be given to the possibilities of exempting Belarusian citizens from visa requirements “so that people-to-people contacts are not at the mercy of the undemocratic principles of the Belarusian authorities”.
See the draft report: https://bit.ly/2IO32rk (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)