The European Union (EU) must not become immune to developments in Belarus, said Dace Melbarde (NA), MEP.
According to the politicians’ office, a debate on human rights violations in Belarus and the assassination of the Belarusian artist Raman Bandarenka took place during the EP plenary session today.
In her address, Melbarde, Vice-Chair of the EP’s Committee on Culture and Education, pointed out that protests and strikes in Belarus against the “stolen 9 August presidential election, human rights abuses and the generally deplorable economic and political situation in the country” have been going on for more than 100 days. “The people of Belarus are clearly and unequivocally showing their position: the country must change and the Lukashenko regime must leave,” the politician said.
“Not only is it impossible, but it is clearly dangerous to talk about dialogue or normalization of relations with a regime that brutally suppresses popular self-determination, human rights and freedoms, and actively targets not only protesters and oppositionists, but also journalists and independent media,” he said. Melbard, noting that the number of demonstrators detained is already approaching the 30,000 mark and that the use of violence against the people is gaining ground.
Melbārde also emphasized that the murder of 31-year-old artist Bandarenka was tragic and reprehensible. According to the politician, we must be aware that the regime of Alexander Lukashenko has “created an illegal and violent environment where the value of human life is degraded”.
The MEP was convinced that the EU must not become immune to developments in Belarus. The fact that the protests continue despite the growing repression is a clear demonstration of the unwavering determination and willpower of the Belarusian people. The people of Belarus need EU support, Melbard stressed.
According to her, the EU and its Member States in Belarus should be more active in supporting independent civil society organizations, independent journalists and the media, as well as artistic and creative freedom. Melbard pointed out that the EU has the opportunity to exert not only strong political but also economic pressure, including by suspending all costs of EU funding to the Belarussian government and state-controlled projects, as well as by actively sanctioning anyone close to the regime.
It has already been reported that protests against the Lukashenko regime in Belarus have continued since the August 9 presidential elections. Lukashenko was declared the winner, but the opposition accuses the regime of widespread falsification of the election results and demands Lukashenko’s resignation.
The EU has imposed sanctions on those responsible for falsifying the results of the presidential election in Belarus and suppressing protests, and has stated that it does not consider Lukashenko a legitimate president.
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