Greens And Free Democrats Propose Belarus Democratic Movement Support Program

On the eve of summer vacations in Bundestag the factions of Greens and Free Democrats proposed the program of support for democratic movement in Belarus.
The proposal includes various initiatives  from employing fired because of political reasons Belarusan citizens to expansion of the list of Belarusan officials denied entry into European Union countries. These suggestions are to be discussed just after summer vacations at the next plenary session of Bundestag in September, Radio Liberty reports.
The proposals were worked out by the Greens faction headed by Marieluise Beck. Later this proposal was backed by Free Democrats. They hope that after the vacations the members of Great Coalition  Christian Democrats and Social Democrats will make amendments to the document.
Our proposals list a range of practical recommendations including those initiated by Belarusan opposition. They are feasible and can be supported by German government and European institutions. These proposals are directed to support both of individuals, persecuted by the regime and civic society and independent mass media in general, noted Marieluise Beck.
The project authors think that the support of Belarusan opposition should carry long-term character. As Greens and Liberals note, one of the most frequent mistakes of German and European politicians is short-term attention and solidarity with Belarus. Now the Belarusan issue was removed from the Bundestag agenda although the situation in the country after the March elections grew worse. The number of repressed people increases, independent media are closed, political parties and NGOs are severely persecuted.
In Greens and Liberals opinion Bundestag must demand from the German Government the following:
- to provide temporary jobs for those Belarusans who were fired from their jobs because of political reasons,
- to impose visa sanctions against those officials guilty of human rights violations, thus expanding the list of non-grata Belarusan government officials,
- to coordinate these actions with Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine,
- to support the steps on expansion of independent broadcasting on Belarus from Europe,
- to insist on carrying out international obligations within OSCE and Council of Europe frames by Belarusan side.