The Belarusian authorities’ recent actions contradict the country’s stated policy of democratization and international commitments, the European Union’s delegation to the third round of the EU-Belarus Coordination Group said in a statement on April 4.
The Delegation recalled that there had been a lot of preventive detentions in the run-up of the rally on March 25 and a wave of arrests of peaceful protesters.
“In all its meetings, the European Union delegation reiterated that tangible and irreversible steps taken by Belarus to respect universal fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, assembly and the media, as well as the rule of law and human rights, including the abolition of the death penalty, will remain key for shaping the European Union’s future policy towards Belarus and its relations with the country,” the press office of the EU Delegation to Belarus says.
The European Union-Belarus Coordination Group met in Minsk on 3-4 April 2017, following previous meetings in the same format in April and November 2016. The European Union delegation was led by Thomas Mayr-Harting, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia of the European External Action Service, and included representatives of the European External Action Service and the Directorates-General of the European Commission responsible for the European Neighborhood Policy, trade, energy as well as home affairs. The Belarusian side was led by Aleh Krauchanka, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and included representatives of other relevant ministries. Experts and non-governmental organisations from Belarus also took part in the talks.
belsat.eu, following eeas.europa.eu, naviny.by
