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Foreign ministry accuses EU of putting pressure on Belarusian judges, prosecutors

The European Union continues "putting undisguised pressure on Belarusian judges and prosecutors," Andrey Savinykh, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, said on May 24.

He was commenting on the European Union's decision to add 13 more people to its list of Belarusian citizens subject to the bloc’s restrictive measures for their role in the authorities' crackdown on political opponents. The people added to the list include the judges and prosecutors in this month's trials of post-election protesters.

"This approach prompts one to question the EU's adherence to the principle of the judiciary's independence," Mr. Savinykh said. "We are certain that the sole realistic way out of the confrontational logic of action is possible only through an equal and constructive dialogue. The Belarusian side expects common sense and the logic of creative cooperation to prevail eventually." //BelaPAN