Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-05-Speech-3-198"
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"en.20060405.18.3-198"2
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"Mr President, 10 years ago a fine story by the Belarusian writer Vasil Bykov was published. It was entitled
In this work the author describes – symbolically, of course – how Belarus identifies with European civilisation, espousing a similar system of values and thus rejecting ideologies based on hatred.
On October Square, the Belarusian people demonstrated that they had recognised the blanket government propaganda spreading lies and fuelling untruths about Europe for what it was. For a couple of days, that square became freedom’s bridgehead from which appeals went out to the Belarusian people urging them to assert their national identity. In its efforts to rekindle national identity, the opposition was assisted by the creative talents of prominent figures from the world of Belarusian culture and literature. I could mention Vasil Bykov, Uladzimir Arlov and Slawomir Adamowicz. Even young people involved in contemporary pop culture lent their support. It is therefore incumbent on us to debunk the myth generally accepted in Europe according to which Belarusians have been Rusified to such an extent that they have no interest in regaining their separate identity based on their own particular culture, language and national symbols.
What specific aid can the European Union provide for this purpose? The EUR 2 million the Commission has allocated to the free media is but a drop in the ocean. It does not amount to much compared to the USD 60 million devoted this year alone by President Lukashenko to widespread propaganda, indoctrination and government media.
In addition to support for the free media and independent journalists, funds are needed for other purposes, and I shall mention just a few of these. Aid should be provided for independent publishing houses publishing in the Belarusian language. I have in mind not only support for political and research publications but also for Belarusian literature. Scholarships should be made available for Belarusian researchers and for those engaged in the creative arts such as writers, poets and painters, so they can survive and continue their work. There must also be scholarships for the students expelled from centres of higher education and for students who do not wish to go into the government system and become totally indoctrinated, choosing instead to attend private centres of higher education in Belarus or apply to European ones.
The only way to respond to regimes that imprison individuals simply for writing a poem is by providing extensive support for freedom of thought and creativity. In conclusion, and with regard to determining the methods and entities for awarding financial aid to free Belarus, I urge the Commissioner to include in the relevant decision-making bodies people with a good knowledge and understanding of Belarus, its circumstances, problems, and national identity which I mentioned earlier."@en1
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