Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-01-14-Speech-3-460"
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"en.20090114.21.3-460"2
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"Good fences make good neighbours. That is an old English saying. Today, thinking about neighbouring countries, it would be more appropriate to say that low fences or no fences are better.
At the juncture of the 20th and 21st centuries, with increasing tendencies towards authoritarianism, Belarus became the odd sick man of Europe. The country slid into self-isolation and isolation, as the fences surrounding it grew ever higher. Due to human rights abuses there was no place in the European Council for a state at the centre of Europe.
Last year gave us hope that relations between the European Union and Belarus can change and that the fences I mentioned can be lowered. Here mention has been made of the small steps which Minsk has taken in the right direction in terms of political prisoners, the registration of parties and the registration of newspapers. We might also mention the future opening of a European Union representation. I share the cautious optimism of both the Commission Member and the Minister and feel that the skies are clearing, but that there are still many clouds. Here our colleague Mr Protasiewicz has already mentioned both media freedom and real conditions allowing the formation of political parties, and the country is generally also on the brink of great economic and social changes. Reforms should look to the future and make the lives of ordinary people easier.
I think that the European Union should also go down the road of mutual understanding. Firstly by destroying or at least lowering the financial fences of visa requirements, which prevent people from communicating so much.
Belarus has taken the decision to build a new nuclear power plant which will probably appear quite close to Lithuania's capital Vilnius. Several such power plants are planned for the region in Lithuania, Estonia and Poland. There needs to be dialogue among all these and other states and constant consultations, so that we avoid misunderstandings, damage to the environment and disregard for the interests of other countries. Brussels should watch carefully how Minsk implements the IAEA's recommendations, conventions on nuclear security, and defend the interests of European Union countries.
I do not think that Belarus will make any real progress unless the wall between official institutions and people there is torn down. The government should be interested in talking to and negotiating with the opposition, NGOs, unions and youth organisations. In a few months the European Parliament will submit recommendations as to whether we should continue tearing down that fence, or build an even higher one. If we fail to take advantage of this chance, people on both sides will be disillusioned. The ball, as they say, is in Minsk's court."@en1
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