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Pro-democratic forces in Belarus are under constant threat of persecution, EU commissioner says

 

A European Union commissioner has painted a grim picture of the situation of pro-democratic forces in Belarus, noting that they are under the constant threat of persecution by the government.

“Belarus has not only the problem of political prisoners, there’s a general crisis,” Stefan Fule, the European Union's commissioner for enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, said in an interview with the Russian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

“This concerns both the level of democracy, the rule of independent law and the lack of free and fair elections over many years.”

There is no possibility for pro-democratic forces in Belarus to act without fear of immediate persecution on the part of authorities, Mr. Fule stressed. “This is the very essence of Lukashenka’s regime, that’s why all EU member states continue treating it extremely critically.” // BelaPAN