Strasbourg, 30/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution adopted on 29 September, the EP, stressing that the situation in Belarus has further deteriorated and that human rights there are “violated shamelessly”, demands that an ad hoc high level delegation be sent there to make a report (the resolution condemns the Belarusian authorities for refusing entry visas to MEPs on 8 August). According to the EP, if the situation does not improve, the EU should envisage extending the visa ban to those persons implicated in the persecution of the media and also freezing assets held abroad by high-ranking Belarusians. The Parliament, which points out that the development of relations between the EU and Belarus will depend on the progress made on the ground in terms of democracy, approves of the announcement of the nomination of a “special diplomat (…) in Belarus to monitor the situation in terms of human rights”, and demands the “acceleration of the opening of a Union permanent representation in Minsk”. The EP welcomes the support given by the Commission to independent radio broadcasting in Belarus and encourages the EU to support civil society in Belarus by planning a “financial programme” under the neighbourhood policy, particularly by giving “support to the free media and independent NGOs as soon as possible" and by taking other initiatives in the audiovisual field (although the Commission should be sure that none of the “pseudo-NGOs” created in Belarus to “obtain money from foreign donors” receives any Community funding). The EP also invites the EU to put the issue of Belarus to the Russian authorities with a view to “developing a joint action to bring about concrete democratic change in the country”. (The next occasion will be the EU/Russia Summit of 4 October in London). It also calls on the Member States of the EU to put in place free visa delivery procedures for citizens of Belarus.