PACE Rapporteur is to watch entrepreneurs’ action

• 15.02.2008, 8:49

Andrea Rigoni, rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, answers the letter of Ales Makaeu, acting head of the Coordinating Council of entrepreneurs, inviting him to come to Minsk for a rally on 18 February.

Mr. Rigoni writes he can’t come to Minsk and accept the invitation, he received only 10 days before the planned action, because he is busy in Italy, Radio Svaboda reports.

But as a rapporteur on Belarus of the PACE’s Political Affairs Committee, Andrea Rigoni attaches great importance to development of free business and its influence on political liberalisation of Belarus.

Mr. Rigoni said he would continue to watch that process and maintain contacts with individual entrepreneurs and their associations.

Concerning Ales Makaeu’s offer to the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE to work out a united programme on Belarus’ democratisation, Mr. Rigoni noted that he agreed the cooperated and concerted efforts of these organisations should give a clear signal to all the parties interested – from common Belarusians to government institutions. The Council of Europe and other organisations, especially the EU, are carrying out some concerted actions and projects, and it is planned to discuss other opportunities of closer cooperation in this direction with other PACE members, Andrea Rigoni stressed in his letter to Ales Makaeu, one of the leaders of the entrepreneurs’ movement.