15/10/2008 Political Affairs and Democracy
Commenting today on the suspension of the visa ban against some high-ranking Belarusian officials, decided earlier this week by the EU Council for External Relations, PACE’s rapporteur on the situation in Belarus Andrea Rigoni said: “The European Union has made the right decision. Breaking the isolation of the Belarusian authorities will help Europe reach out to ordinary Belarusians and will eventually contribute to the spreading of European values both in society and in the political system.”
“With this decision, the European Union has given a clear demonstration of its willingness to engage in a step-by-step and two-way process with the Belarusian leadership. Now the ball is in Belarus’s court: Europe needs to see further tangible progress in Belarus in the core areas of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, in order to pursue confidently the line that it has undertaken with the suspension of the visa-ban.”
“In my capacity as PACE Rapporteur on Belarus, I have always made it clear that dialogue is the way forward to bring Belarus closer to Europe. I am pleased that the European Union is moving in this direction and I hope that the Council of Europe will also give proof of political courage and openness to dialogue, while continuing to defend its values.”