06/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - During his visit to Strasbourg, invited by the EPP-ED group, the leader of the democratic opposition, Alexander Milinkevitch, signed a common declaration with the President of the group, Hans-Gert Pöttering, reaffirming that in the context of the elections of 19 March, the “international community is unable to accept such a scandalous disregard of the wishes of the Belarusian people”. The election result should not be recognised and new elections should take place as soon as possible under strict international surveillance, affirmed the declaration, which also demanded “concrete and intelligent measures” for isolating the regime and “supporting and strengthening” civil society. The declaration also said that all students expelled from universities for having demonstrated for democracy and “who are Belarus' future” should be able to continue their studies abroad (see other article on EP resolution). It also said that “Belarus belongs to the family of European nations. The Belarus people, like us, are from this continent and have the right to live in an independent country that respects fundamental rights and freedoms…The Belarus people are currently deprived of these rights by a dictatorial regime but today's dream is tomorrow's reality”.