Summary: October 28, 2004: European Parliament - Belarus parliament is not democratic, say MEPs
Motions for resolutions on the result of the referendum and elections in Belarus
Doc.: B6-0094/2004, B6-0097/2004, B6-0101/2004, B6-0104/2004, B6-0105/2004, B6-0110/2004
Vote : 28.10.2004
Parliament has adopted, by 449 votes in favour to 20 against with 22 abstentions, a resolution proposed by the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA and UEN groups on the situation in Belarus, which stresses that the parliamentary elections and referendum of 17 October "failed to meet international standards for democratic elections" and therefore "cannot be considered free and fair." MEPs believe the parliament elected in Belarus does not possess a true democratic mandate to represent
the Belarussian people and that President Lukashenko does not have a constitutional basis on which to stand as a candidate in the elections of 2006.
MEPs firmly condemn the "violent attacks" by the Belarussian regime against students, leading opposition figures and journalists following peaceful political demonstrations in Minsk. They urge the Belarussian authorities "to immediately release all those who were detained after these demonstrations." They are of the opinion that the way in which these elections and the referendum were conducted and the following violent attacks on political opponents of the regime "are the
expression of a further step towards the establishment by President Lukashenko of an almost dictatorial regime in Belarus." MEPs express their solidarity with all Belarussians who strive for an independent, democratic Belarus based on the rule of law. They call for an urgent review of EU policy towards Belarus.
Parliament calls on the Commission and the Member States to "continue and wherever possible reinforce their policy of isolation of President Lukashenko and the members of his regime" until clear steps are taken which demonstrate their willingness to respect democratic values and the rule of law. MEPs call for the EU to provide more effective support for the democratic forces within Belarus.
MEPs also call on the Council "to decide on a set of targeted sanctions against the members of the Belarussian regime," notably the extension of the visa prohibition regulation for the authorities of Belarus, and to increase "material support through humanitarian and economic aid to the municipalities which oppose the regime."
Finally, Parliament calls on the Dutch Presidency of the Council to include the situation in Belarus on the agenda for the forthcoming EU-Russia summit on 11 November in The Hague, in the light of the close relations between the two countries.
Separately Parliament's Conference of Presidents has announced that the 2004 Sakharov Prize will be awarded to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
For more information on this see the article in
News Report of 28 October 2004.
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