ALDE Group launches initiative with United Democratic Force through concrete actions

12.00.00am GMT Tue 31st Jan 2006

With Belarus heading towards presidential elections next March, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats supports the United Democratic Forces of Belarus and urges free and fair elections to be held which meet international and European standards. "Liberals and Democrats have been vocal in condemning the Lukashenko regime in Belarus. This regime does not listen to external or internal criticism", said ALDE leader Graham WATSON.

The ALDE Group was pivotal in securing the Sakharov prize to the Belarus Association of Journalists in 2004 and has given persistent backing to the plans to start independent broadcasts into Belarus from neighbouring countries. Free and independent media is a key part of a democratic society - tragically still missing in what amounts to the last dictatorship in Europe.

Liberals and Democrats will also put into practice a series of concrete initiatives which will favour the democrats in Belarus. "Actions speak louder than words", said Graham WATSON. "In order to ensure political cooperation, we will encourage people-to-people projects", he added. For example, the ALDE will open up its traineeship programme for young students and activists from Belarus to follow its work for a 3-month period.

The ALDE will also host visits for Belarus parliamentarians and senior politicians in Brussels and Strasbourg aiming to increase EU knowledge among Belarusian democratic politicians as well as to ensure a good flow of information between Belarus and the EU institutions. As an additional act of solidarity and support, the ALDE Group will arrange a visit of MEPs to Belarus prior to the elections in March.

In honour of Aliaksandr Mlinkievic, the Presidential candidate from the United Democratic Opposition in Belarus, who is visiting the European Parliament, ALDE Member Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ (Unia Wolnosci, Poland) together with Graham Watson, hosted a reception on Tuesday 31 January at 19.00 in order for ALDE Members to continue their discussions with the United Democratic Opposition activists.