EP head: “We must commit ourselves so that Belarusians can also live in freedom and democracy”

• 30.04.2009, 10:50

Hans Gert Poettering says the European Union should gain rule of law in Belarus.

Hans Gert Poettering says the European Union should gain rule of law in Belarus.

Speaking at the congress of the European People’s Party in Warsaw, head of the European Parliament Hans Gert Poettering said:

“We must commit ourselves so that Belarusians can also live in freedom and democracy.”

The EP head said the European People’s Party was based on democracy, the rule of law. “We must not keep these rights just for ourselves,” AFP quotes Poettering.

The EPP congress in Warsaw attracts about 2500 delegates, more than 10 heads of governments of the EU and the neighbouring countries – Ukraine and Georgia. Representatives of the Belarusian opposition were invited for the congress as guests.

It should be reminded that the EU summit launching the Eastern Partnership program takes place in Prague on May 7. Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, has recently said he counts presidents of Belarus and Moldova Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Voronin won’t take part in the Eastern Partnership founding summit in Prague on May 7. He told it journalists in Luxemburg on April 27, after a meeting of the EU foreign ministers. The Czech President, the Dutch foreign minister and other European politicians share this opinion.