Brussels, 21/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - In the wake of the presidential elections in Belarus, the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, warned in a press release that, “the failure to respect international electoral standards in combination with a steadily deteriorating political situation and persistent violations of the civil and fundamental rights of the Belarusian people will not remain without consequences for the relations between the EU and Belarus”. Mr Borrell is therefore calling on the Council to “take the criticisms voiced by the Parliament fully into consideration when it decides on sanctions against the Belarusian government” (for 20 March Council position see EUROPE 9155).
The press release of the ad hoc Parliamentary delegation led by Bogdan Klich (PES, Poland) in charge of following this election affirmed that “Alexander Lukashenko cannot be recognised as the legitimate president of Belarus, as the elections were not free, fair or democratic”. The election took place in an atmosphere of fear and threats, with the Belarusian authorities threatening to use violence and even the death penalty against peaceful demonstrators, deplored the delegation, which wants an extension of the EU travel ban on high-ranking Belarus officials, while at the same time easing visa procedures for representatives of Belarus civil society and the setting up of additional youth exchange programmes (on the subject of this ad hoc delegation monitoring the elections of Brussels and Warsaw, see EUROPE 9152).
German PDS MEP André Brie (GUE/NGL) said that the EU should not tolerate violations of fundamental democratic principles but urged, in a press release for the EU 25 to avoid imposing sanctions which would “directly or indirectly” hit the Belarusian people.