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Belarus’ opposition leaders flatly oppose National Assembly’s full-fledged membership in EURONEST PA

Belarusian opposition leaders flatly oppose the National Assembly’s full-fledged membership in the EU-Neighborhood East Parliamentary Assembly (EURONEST PA), Anatol Lyabedzka, leader of the United Civic Party, told BelaPAN following a meeting with a visiting delegation of the European Parliament.

Mr. Lyabedzka said that the matter had been discussed at the meeting with the MEPs, which he noted lasted more than three hours on Friday.

“But we are ready to agree to the proposal that there should be five government officials and five opposition activists in the EURONEST PA,” he said. “I think that it would be a concession on the part of both the European Parliament and the Belarusian opposition.”

Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin, who led the European Parliament`s delegation to Minsk, pledged that the country’s opposition would have representatives in the institution that is scheduled to start operation on March 24, Mr. Lyabedzka said.

The MEPs know the situation in Belarus very well, sharing the opposition’s opinion that there are political prisoners in the country, he said.

“Besides, they are very worried about the situation regarding the Polish minority in Belarus,” the politician noted.

Apart from Mr. Lyabedzka, the Belarusian delegation to the meeting included Alyaksandr Kazulin, Syarhey Kalyakin, Alyaksey Yanukevich, Mikalay Statkevich, Vital Rymashewski, Anatol Lyawkovich and Yury Hlushakow. //BelaPAN