DATE:
31/01/2006
In Short:
The leader of Belarus's main opposition coalition, Alexander Milinkevich, is holding a series of high-level but low-key meetings in Brussels. He has widespread political backing from the EU institutions.
Brief News:
The leader of the unified democratic opposition forces of Belarus, Alexander Milinkevich, believes that bringing democracy to his country after the scheduled presidential elections on 19 March is an absolute priority for Belarus, which currently "is a country in trouble". Milinkevich, 58, is in Brussels for a series of high-level meetings ahead of the elections, where he and two other opposition candidates will challenge the 12-year-old autocratic rule of incumbent President Alexander Lukashenka.
On 30 January, Milinkevich met with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and European Parliament President Josep Borrell. He also attended the meeting of the EU-25 foreign ministers and met with leading NGO representatives.
However, the meetings generally received only modest publicity as the EU aims to avoid being directly associated with any individual candidates or parties.
"We have never wanted a revolution, but many will go out in the streets [in Belarus] if the authorities are not intelligent enough," Milinkevich said, stressing that this in itself will bring the demise of Lukashenka's regime closer. Milinkevich has reiterated his firm belief that his opposition coalition of the country's communist, green and social-democrat forces will stay together in what promises to be a prolonged process of political transition.
In a statement, the EU-25 foreign ministers reiterated their "deep concern at the deteriorating situation" in Belarus and urged the Belarusian authorities to ensure that the 19 March elections are conducted in a free and fair manner. Failure to "uphold international standards [...] in particular those of the OSCE [Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe]" will result in sanctions, the ministers warned. EP President Borrell also assured Milinkevich of the MEPs' "full backing" to this cause.
Source:
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-152107-16&type=News
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