Belarusian opposition takes part in Euronest session in Yerevan

Representatives of the Belarusian opposition participate in a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Eastern Partnership initiative in Yerevan.

A meeting of the EP's working group on Belarus is held today, the press service of the United Civil Party (UCP) reports. The meeting will be attended by representatives of seven opposition groups of Belarus: leaders of the Belarusian Left Party Fair World Siarhei Kaliakin, Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Iryna Veshtard, For Freedom movement Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Tell the Truth campaign Uladzimir Niakliaeu, UCP Anatol Liabedzka, deputy head of the BPF party Ryhor Kastusiou and co-head of the organising committee to create the Belarusian Christian Democracy party Vital Rymasheuski.

Liabedzka does not rule out that Belarus's official representation in Euronest will be discussed. “The issue was frozen, but a political thaw has started in Europe. We must be ready for the discussion. The current situation and the Riga summit are also on the agenda,” the UCP press service quotes him as saying.

“Representatives of the Belarusian parliament have not been invited to attend Euronest sessions before,” the BCD press service quotes Rymasheuski as saying. “I think that unless free and fair elections are held in Belarus, appointed MPs have no right to represent our country on equal conditions with freely elected representatives of other countries.”

Rymasheuski finds it important that the “Belarusian democratic forces will represent a common position” at the summit in Riga.

The presentation of the report and exchange of views on the activities of the working group on Belarus will take place on March 18. According to the BCD press service, it will be the first opportunity for the Belarusian democratic society to express its views at the Euronest session.