Socialists Campaign For Democratic Left in Belarus
16 July 2008
Leaders of three social-democrat parties from Belarus delivered a common invitation for members of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament to come to Minsk and campaign for the democratic opposition.
"Travel to Belarus remains difficult, but we will push the authorities to allow us to rally on the spot", said Mr.Schulz. "If these are to be fair elections, it is not more than normal; that we can support our sister parties".
Socialist Group Vice-President, Jan Marinus Wiersma, happily accepted the invitation. "My visa application is already on its way to the embassy", he said, encouraging other members of the European Parliament to do the same. Mr.Wiersma added that if the authorities would allow members of the European Parliament to play a role in the election campaign, it would be a signal the country is sincerely interested stronger relations with the European Union.
He also called on Mr.Lukashenka to release the last remaining political prisoner, Aliaksandr Kazulin, who was jailed two years ago because of his political activities.
The delegation from Belarus did not believe the elections would be genuinely democratic. "Lukashenka is going to try and trick you again and pretend the poll is free and fair", said Olga Kazulina, daughter of Mr.Kazulin, during a roundtable with members of the European Parliament.
According to Mr.Shushkevich, leader of one of the Social Democratic parties and first President of post-Soviet independent Belarus,officials are already preparing falsification of the elections. Mihalay Statkevich, leader of the European Coalition in Belarus, called the elections 'ritual'.
Despite their downbeat analysis, all three leaders were resolved to use the campaign period to get their message to the people of Belarus:" There is an alternative for authoritarianism, a choice for freedom and a European future".
Jan Marinus Wiersma, vice-president of the EP Socialist Group, strongly supported this line, calling on the parties not to boycott the elections, which is still under discussion in the democratic opposition. "Lukashenka can only steal the votes, if people cast them first. If he does that once too often, people will get fed up and start calling for change. That is the bottom up process we need".
Contact: Jan Marinus Wiersma's office: +32 2 284 54 35
Gabriela Langada,press officer: + 32 0473 582 405
