Milinkievich: EU Must Not Isolate Belarus

Former presidential candidate Aliaksandr Milinkievich met with top German politicians in Berlin and discussed prospects for closer ties between Belarus and the European Union on June 27.

In particular, the leader of the Movement for Freedom held meetings with Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Ronald Pofalla, head of the German Chancellery and the country's federal minister for special affairs, and Andreas Schockenhoff, deputy head of the foreign policy group of the Christian Democratic Union's faction in the Bundestag.

“We spoke about that despite the Belarusian authorities' self-isolation, the European Union should by no means isolate the country, should have a multi-level policy and strategy, that it's very important to continue intensive work with civil society, Belarusian businesses, experts, media,”

“It's very important that Europe should say openly that Belarus has prospects in the European Union after all conditions are fulfilled because it's important for a rise in pro-European sentiments.”

Mr. Milinkievich said that he had raised the possibility of easier Schengen visa rules for Belarusian citizens.

“If we want pro-democratic sentiments to grow, it is necessary to make it easier for Belarusians to travel, as 70 percent of them have never visited the EU, that is inaccessible to them,”

Mr. Milinkievich also used the meetings to call for greater support for small and medium-sized businesses in Belarus and stress that some Belarusian government officials support reforms and closer ties with the EU.

The opposition politician called on the 27-nation bloc to help modernize Belarus' economy.

“Belarus should join the World Trade Organization not through Russia but independently. And it is capable of carrying out modernization faster than Russia. This will strengthen not only our economic potential but also our independence,”

Mr. Milnkevich spoke about the danger of Russia's growing economic influence in Belarus, which he said can rule out the country's integration with the EU. “Europe understands that threat,” he said.

None of the German politicians suggested that Russia could help democratize Belarus.

“Moscow itself does not demonstrate a desire to carry out real political liberalization, that's why Belarus must go this way independently,”

The German politicians assured Mr. Milinkievich that the EU still viewed Belarus as a priority.

“We remain an important and promising partner for the EU,”

Aliaksandr Milinkievich delivered a speech at a meeting in the German foreign ministry on June 26. The meeting was organized by Susanne Schutz, head of the ministry's department for Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, North Caucasus and Central Asia.

• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0