On 22 June the founders of the Berastseyskaya Viasna human rights NGO lodged a complaint with Brest regional court against the decision by the city authorities of 4 June to deny registration to the organization. The main reason for the decision was the withdrawal of a letter of guarantee for the allocation of a legal address by its owner. In reality, the proprietor of the premises was threatened by the city authorities.
During her stay in Minsk on 22 June, the European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner expressed her hope that ‘relations between Belarus this country in the heart of Europe and the European Union can become warmer and closer in the future.’ However, she stressed that it is only possible in case Belarus took a number of steps aimed at introducing democratic reforms in the country. Mrs.Ferrero-Waldner said her meeting with President Lukashenka was very productive. She also said that ‘more cooperation could mean lighter visa requirements and so easier travel to the EU, and more opportunities for cultural and educational exchange.’
The KGB Brest regional department will not insist on naming #7-8 of the ARCHE analytical magazine extremist, says the KGB spokesman Mikhail Sharkouski. According to the defendant’s lawyer Pavel Sapelka, the next hearing of the trial is due on 25 June. ‘Since there is no point of dispute anymore, we hope that the case will be terminated. The court has no grounds for turning down the KGB’s motion,’ said the lawyer.
 |
|
 |