Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-09-14-Speech-2-043"
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"en.20040914.3.2-043"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, throughout history, Belarus has belonged to both Eastern and Western Europe, and relations between the EU and Belarus are strained. The isolation of Belarus has become more obvious and, at the same time, less sustainable. With EU enlargement, Belarus has become a neighbouring country of the EU, giving cause for increased contacts in those areas where such contacts are possible. Right now, it is, however, unlikely that contacts will be improved as long as there is no decisive turnaround in the policy conducted in Belarus.
This applies above all to the distribution of power, the constitution, increased opportunities for the opposition to operate freely and the protection of human rights. So far, there have been few indications of such a change. That distribution of power that is central to a democracy is at present absent from Belarus. Changes to the election process before the autumn parliamentary election on 17 October are thus necessary. Not only, however, is Belarus to elect a new parliament on 17 October, but President Lukashenko has also announced that a special referendum on a change to the constitution is to take place. The referendum is about changing the constitution to extend his own period of office. That is unacceptable from a democratic point of view.
Ever since Lukashenko took office as president in 1994, he has been dictatorial in strengthening his position in that role. If there is a majority in favour of this latest attempt to remove the limit on the number of terms of office a president is allowed to serve, this means that, in all likelihood, Lukashenko will serve for at least another five years. If I have calculated correctly, that will make for an uninterrupted period of 17 years.
Together, we must act to bring about increased support for democratic development in Belarus and must combat that isolation of Belorussian society and of the Belorussian people that many have talked about. The EU must continue to support human rights and the development of a pluralistic society, to oppose trafficking in, and violence against, women and to further civil, democratic society. It is also of the utmost importance that the whole of the international community be alert and supportive prior to the presidential election in order to show that this is something of significance, that we are concerned that Belarus develop in a democratic direction and that, as a number of people have said, we support the people of Belarus. We must not turn our backs on the Belorussian people."@en1
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