European Parliament may ask IMF to stop crediting Belarus

The project of the resolution of the biggest political group of the European Parliament – the European People’s Party – suggests a number of steps that have to be taken if the Belarusian authorities do not start observing human rights and democratic standards.

Deputies suggest depriving Belarus of the opportunity to use the EU’s financial instruments – the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Instrument of good-neighborly relations and partnership as well as the extended financial assistance of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, not to reinstate our country in the Generalized System of Preferences and to ask the IMF not to allocate the next tranche of its credit to Belarus.

A representative of the European People’s Party, head of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Belarus Jacek Protasiewicz mentioned it during the debates that took place on February 25.

Jacek Protasiewicz: "Sanctions may be imposed. However, the economic support should depend on economic reforms in the country”.

Besides economic measures, the European Parliament may urge the EU Council of Ministers to the European Council of Ministers to consider the possibility of imposing the ban on visiting EU member states for a number of Belarusian officials which would not affect ordinary citizens.  The same is mentioned in the resolution of a group of conservatives (European Conservatives and Reformists). Deputies also note that the Belarusian delegation in the Euronest should consist of representatives of the opposition and the civil community.

Let us remind you that the idea was mentioned by a deputy Richard Charnetski during debates in the European Parliament: “Our relations with Belarus are asymmetrical. The European Union opens the door for the country and does not receive anything in return. It is time we imposed political sanctions: for example, we  may not allow Belarusian deputies to take part in the Euronest and restore the visa black list of Belarusian officials”.
Conservative parliamentarians also note that the decree on the regulation of the Internet of February 1, 2010 brackets Belarus with China, North Korea and Iran.

The projects of liberals’ resolutions (Alliance of liberals and democrats) and socialists (Progressive alliance of socialists and democrats) do not mention any sanctions at all.

The group of communists and the left (European United Left–Nordic Green Left) suggests including Belarusian deputies in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Eastern Partnership. It supports the idea that “participation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Eastern Partnership has to be approved by all participating parliamentarians without discrimination of any sides”.

The greens (The Greens | European Free Alliance) – is the only group that would like to include the demand to release an activist Andrei Bandarenka and a prisoner of conscience Ivan Mihailau as well as to remove all the restrictions imposed on Tatstsyana Shaputska in the resolution as a separate paragraph.

On the whole, projects of all political groups express anxiety in connection with the police action directed against the Union of Poles and support the idea that the Belarusian authorities should register the organization. All political groups urge Belarus to stick to the OSCE standards and observe the rights of national minorities.

See also:

European Parliament not to invite Belarusian deputies to Euronest
How can the resolution of the European Parliament influence Belarus?

Photo by: seebiz.eu