English

EU official meets with opposition politicians, rights defenders

Gunnar Wiegand, a senior official of the European Union’s European External Action Service, met with Belarusian opposition politicians and human rights defenders in Minsk on February 9.

As Vital Rymashewski, a former presidential candidate who attended the meeting, told BelaPAN, under discussion were ways of improving relations between Minsk and the European Union, in particular "criteria for a dialogue between the EU and the Belarusian authorities." All of the politicians present at the meeting agreed that the authorities must release political prisoners, hold free and fair parliamentary elections and come up with a plan of reforms before the EU could provide any assistance to the country, said Mr. Rymashewski, a co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party.

He added that the possibility of the European Union extending its sanctions to more Belarusian officials had also been discussed.

Aleh Hulak, chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, confirmed that the meeting had focused on possible cooperation between the EU and Belarusian government institutions.

Mr. Wiegand was expected to meet with relatives of political prisoners and representatives of the Presidential Administration later on Thursday. // BelaPAN