What is happening at “Eastern Partnership” summit? Online
Foreign Minister Syarhei Martynau welcomed in Prague with shouts “Shame!” Paznyak: We are together today because the problem of “Eastern Partnership” is the problem of the future of Belarus
In spite of all discrepancies, representatives of the Belarusian opposition (except Milinkevich who did not sign the appeal to the European Union) have reached an agreement in Prague. They had not been able to do it at home for a long time. Our reporter Nasta Ihnatovich informs that Zyanon Paznyak noted that even if the cooperation could not last, representatives of the opposition had to join the efforts “to prevent Lukashenka’s regime from getting stronger”.
Zyanon Paznyak: “There are state issues requiring cooperation. It does not mean that the cooperation will continue. We are political opponents. And we will never be together. But we are together today. We are together today because the problem of “Eastern Partnership” is the problem of the future of Belarus and of the future of democracy. It is very important to combine our efforts to prevent Lukashenka’s regime from using “Eastern Partnership” to become stronger”.
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Milinkevich finds “Trojan horse” in opposition members’ document
There were a number of official meetings before the summit of “Eastern Partnership” in Prague. Among them was the meeting of representatives of the Belarusian opposition with the Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwartzenberg. Alyaksandr Kazulin, Alyaksandr Milinkevich, Zyanon Paznyak, Ivonka Survila and Stanislau Shushkevich were present there.
Our reporter Nasta Ihnatovich who is in Prague now has informed that Milinkevich has not signed the appeal of leaders of the Belarusian opposition to the European Union.
Alyaksandr Milinkevich told ERB: “I am ready to put my signature under every paragraph. However, one paragraph says that Alyaksandr Lukashenka is a Trojan horse of the Russian politics. They assigned him the role of a destroyer of the programme. I do not know such facts. I am not Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s lawyer but I think that it is wrong to artificially destroy the possibilities and intentions existing in Europe”.
ERB has tried to find the passage in the document. However, we have not found the words in the documents. There is another passage that could be meant by Alyaksandr Milinkevich: “Russification and destruction of the culture increase the negative influence of pro-imperial circles of the Russian politics on Belarus”.
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Kazulin: "We can be more optimistic about the future now”
Nasta Іhnatovіch, Prague
A Belarusian politician Alyaksandr Kazulin who is in Prague with a delegation of Belarusian opposition leaders now has shared his impressions of meetings with Czech politicians and state figures with ERB.
Alyaksandr Kazulіn: "We can be more optimistic about the future now than we used to. The Czech authorities presiding in the European Union have declared that the dialogue should be conducted not only with the Belarusian authorities but also with the Belarusian democratic community. The Czech Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and members of the foreign affairs committee of the Czech Parliament have demonstrated that they saw a niche for the democratic opposition in this dialogue. It is impossible to conduct the dialogue without sticking to moral values and to European values. It was the most important thing”.
In Kazulin’s opinion, the fact that Lukashenka has not come to the summit in Prague is “a moral victory of the whole democratic community that strived for it”.
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Belarusian emigrants’ picket dated for summit in Prague
Nasta Іhnatovіch, Prague
A picket of representatives of Belarusian communities of emigrants from all over Europe is taking place in Prague now. It is dated for the summit of “Eastern Partnership”.
About 100 people are participating in the picket. They are holding dozens of white-red-white flags, a flag of the European Union and posters saying “Stop - dictatorship!”, “Free political prisoners in Belarus!” and others including a portrait of Yury Zaharanka who disappeared on this day 10 years ago.
According to a participant of the picket, “the summit is a way to legalize the rule of Lukashenka, it is necessary to talk to the people”, namely, it is necessary to talk to the democratic opposition.
Alyaksandr Kazulin, Stanislau Shushkevich, Zyanon Paznyak and Ivonka Survila have just joined the action.
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Representatives of the European Union, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are participating in the meeting. Our country is represented by the vice Prime Minister Uladzimir Syamashka and the Foreign Minister Syarhei Martynau.
“Belarusian Partisan” informs that representatives of Belarusian migrants in Czechia are organizing a meeting dated for the summit in Prague. According to them, “Eastern Partnership” should be advantageous for the Belarusian people rather than for the Belarusian regime.
In spite of all discrepancies, representatives of the Belarusian opposition (except Milinkevich who did not sign the appeal to the European Union) have reached an agreement in Prague. They had not been able to do it at home for a long time. Our reporter Nasta Ihnatovich informs that Zyanon Paznyak noted that even if the cooperation could not last, representatives of the opposition had to join the efforts “to prevent Lukashenka’s regime from getting stronger”.
Zyanon Paznyak: “There are state issues requiring cooperation. It does not mean that the cooperation will continue. We are political opponents. And we will never be together. But we are together today. We are together today because the problem of “Eastern Partnership” is the problem of the future of Belarus and of the future of democracy. It is very important to combine our efforts to prevent Lukashenka’s regime from using “Eastern Partnership” to become stronger”.
***
Milinkevich finds “Trojan horse” in opposition members’ document
There were a number of official meetings before the summit of “Eastern Partnership” in Prague. Among them was the meeting of representatives of the Belarusian opposition with the Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwartzenberg. Alyaksandr Kazulin, Alyaksandr Milinkevich, Zyanon Paznyak, Ivonka Survila and Stanislau Shushkevich were present there.
Our reporter Nasta Ihnatovich who is in Prague now has informed that Milinkevich has not signed the appeal of leaders of the Belarusian opposition to the European Union.
Alyaksandr Milinkevich told ERB: “I am ready to put my signature under every paragraph. However, one paragraph says that Alyaksandr Lukashenka is a Trojan horse of the Russian politics. They assigned him the role of a destroyer of the programme. I do not know such facts. I am not Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s lawyer but I think that it is wrong to artificially destroy the possibilities and intentions existing in Europe”.
ERB has tried to find the passage in the document. However, we have not found the words in the documents. There is another passage that could be meant by Alyaksandr Milinkevich: “Russification and destruction of the culture increase the negative influence of pro-imperial circles of the Russian politics on Belarus”.
***
Kazulin: "We can be more optimistic about the future now”
Nasta Іhnatovіch, Prague
A Belarusian politician Alyaksandr Kazulin who is in Prague with a delegation of Belarusian opposition leaders now has shared his impressions of meetings with Czech politicians and state figures with ERB.
Alyaksandr Kazulіn: "We can be more optimistic about the future now than we used to. The Czech authorities presiding in the European Union have declared that the dialogue should be conducted not only with the Belarusian authorities but also with the Belarusian democratic community. The Czech Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and members of the foreign affairs committee of the Czech Parliament have demonstrated that they saw a niche for the democratic opposition in this dialogue. It is impossible to conduct the dialogue without sticking to moral values and to European values. It was the most important thing”.
In Kazulin’s opinion, the fact that Lukashenka has not come to the summit in Prague is “a moral victory of the whole democratic community that strived for it”.
***
Belarusian emigrants’ picket dated for summit in Prague
Nasta Іhnatovіch, Prague
A picket of representatives of Belarusian communities of emigrants from all over Europe is taking place in Prague now. It is dated for the summit of “Eastern Partnership”.
About 100 people are participating in the picket. They are holding dozens of white-red-white flags, a flag of the European Union and posters saying “Stop - dictatorship!”, “Free political prisoners in Belarus!” and others including a portrait of Yury Zaharanka who disappeared on this day 10 years ago.
According to a participant of the picket, “the summit is a way to legalize the rule of Lukashenka, it is necessary to talk to the people”, namely, it is necessary to talk to the democratic opposition.
Alyaksandr Kazulin, Stanislau Shushkevich, Zyanon Paznyak and Ivonka Survila have just joined the action.
***
Representatives of the European Union, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are participating in the meeting. Our country is represented by the vice Prime Minister Uladzimir Syamashka and the Foreign Minister Syarhei Martynau.
“Belarusian Partisan” informs that representatives of Belarusian migrants in Czechia are organizing a meeting dated for the summit in Prague. According to them, “Eastern Partnership” should be advantageous for the Belarusian people rather than for the Belarusian regime.
