Seimas of Lithuania adopted a decision, wherein he referred to as on the Russian Federation “to not intervene within the inside and overseas coverage of Belarus” and promised, if there are makes an attempt to “restrict the nation’s sovereignty towards the desire of the Belarusian folks,” to use further sanctions towards Russia and representatives of the Belarusian regime. As on Thursday, September 10, the Delfi portal specified, the decision was supported by 91 out of 138 MPs.
Lithuanian Parliament referred to as Tihanovskaya “elected chief of the folks”
In the doc, ex-presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya known as “the chief elected by the Belarusian folks” and Alexander Lukashenko known as “the unlawful chief of Belarus.”
The authors of the decision name on the world group to help the demand of Tikhanovskaya and the “Coordinating Council, created at her proposal, as the one authorized representatives of the Belarusian folks, to carry new, clear and democratic parliamentary and presidential elections.”
Lukashenka’s actions have been advised to be assessed as “against the law towards the folks”
In addition, the authors of the doc suggest “to judge any actions of” Lukashenko “in home and overseas coverage geared toward legitimizing his rule and concluding new worldwide agreements with Russia that restrict the sovereignty of the Belarusian folks, as against the law towards his personal folks, as invalid, invalid and “measures not acknowledged by the worldwide group,” de facto annexation of the nation. “
Lithuanian lawmakers insist on supporting the “Belarusian folks” by means of political, financial and monetary measures, visa facilitation, and different steps geared toward holding new elections.
The decision on September 9 was submitted to parliament by 14 deputies. Among its authors are Speaker Viktoras Prancketis, Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, representatives of just about all parliamentary factions.
Earlier, the pinnacle of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, mentioned that he didn’t take into account the Belarusian chief Alexander Lukashenko a respectable president, since, based on him, there have been no free and democratic elections in Belarus.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Stop at the beginning
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Belarus and the European Union have been established in August 1992. In March 1995, a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) was signed in Brussels. But after the 1996 referendum, which sharply expanded the powers of the president, within the subsequent 1997, the EU suspended the ratification of the settlement and imposed sanctions on the highest Belarusian management.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Basis of disagreement
The variations between Brussels and Minsk are primarily based on completely different assessments of the outcomes of the Belarusian elections. Since 1996, the European Union doesn’t take into account them democratic as a result of inconsistency with worldwide norms. The 2004 referendum, which gave Alexander Lukashenko the chance to run for president with out restrictions, was not acknowledged as authorized both. The EU can also be not glad with human rights violations and repressions towards activists and journalists.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Sanctions for reprisals
Relations between Minsk and Brussels have critically worsened after the dispersal of a protest rally on the day of the presidential election on December 19, 2010. The liberalization of 2007-2008 ended with the arrests of Lukashenka’s rivals and the trials of protesters. The EU lifted many of the sanctions imposed on Belarus after that solely in February 2016 in response to the discharge of political prisoners.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Ambassadorial scandals
EU ambassadors have left Belarus twice. In June 1998, they have been expelled from their residences within the village of Drozdy beneath the pretext of renovation close to the Lukashenka’s residence. The diplomats returned solely in January 1999. In February 2012, 27 EU ambassadors once more left Minsk for two months as an indication of solidarity with representatives of Poland and the EU, whom the Belarusian aspect supplied to go “to their capitals for consultations.”
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Cooperation within the “Eastern Partnership”
Back in 2009, Belarus, together with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, was invited to the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) program. But it turned out that Minsk doesn’t declare to combine with Europe, is completely in pragmatic cooperation within the economic system and doesn’t intend to stick to one of many fundamental priorities of the EaP – democratization.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Euronest – with out deputies from Belarus
The 1st Euronest Parliamentary Assembly of the EaP was held in May 2011 in Brussels with out parliamentarians from Belarus. They have been offended that along with 5 deputies from the Republic of Belarus they invited 5 representatives of civil society. At the sixth session of Euronest in Kiev on October 30 – November 1, 2017, like others, there was no official delegation both, however a big group of oppositionists was invited from Minsk.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Minsk shouldn’t be glad with the format
President Lukashenko didn’t go to the EaP summit within the fall of 2017, though he obtained an invite for the primary time after the lifting of sanctions. Official interpretation – the format of cooperation doesn’t indicate a excessive stage of illustration. The delegation was headed by the pinnacle of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Makei. Observers clarify the refusal to journey by the shortage of bonuses, which Lukashenka had hoped for, and by concern of Moscow’s anger.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
There is cooperation, however no contract
Belarus is the one one of many 6 EaP nations that doesn’t have a cooperation settlement with the EU. Relations are nonetheless ruled by the 1989 settlement between the USSR and the European Economic Community. Minsk want to signal the Partnership Priorities program with Brussels. This settlement is only a framework doc and, in contrast to the affiliation settlement, doesn’t set up deep types of interplay.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Economic partnership
For Belarus, the European Union is the second most essential buying and selling associate after Russia. The EU accounts for a 3rd of the nation’s whole commerce. Mainly oil merchandise are exported. Trade with the EU within the 1st quarter of 2017 elevated by 5.6% in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months, to $ 2.9 billion. The optimistic steadiness is $ 302 million. True, over the earlier 3 years, the amount of commerce fell by virtually half.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Help from the European Union
From 2014 to 2017, the EU assist package deal for Belarus amounted to 91.5 million euros. Joint initiatives are financed within the subject of environmental safety, vitality, and border growth. The National Human Rights Plan, adopted with EU help, laid the groundwork for inside reforms. Negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission are underway. There is an Erasmus + program for college kids and academics.
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History of relations between Belarus and the European Union
Simplification of the visa regime
On April 9, 2020, President of Belarus Lukashenko signed a legislation, the adoption of which accomplished the method of ratification of the settlement with the European Union on visa facilitation. Among different issues, it offers for a discount in the price of a Schengen visa for Belarusians to 35 euros and a most interval for making a call on issuing a visa – 10 days.
Author: Galina Petrovskaya