Belarusian authorities continue hindrance to Belarusian Christian Democracy
Minsk authorities still haven’t given premises for a congress of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party. Bear in mind that the leadership of the European parliament has been officially invited to the event.
The founding congress of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party (BCD) is to take place in Minsk on 28 February. The President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering, the general secretary of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany Ronald Pofalla, the head of the European Parliament delegation on relations with Belarus Jacek Protasiewicz, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, the chairperson of the EP Subcommittee on Human Rights Laima Andrikienė have been invited to the congress.
As informed by one of the leaders of the organizing committee on creation of the BCD Pavel Seviarynets, beside the leadership of the organizing committee, the letter to the leaders of European structures has been also sent by the former presidential candidate Alexander Milinkevich.
Besides, representatives of friendly parties from Norway, Ukraine, Moldova, Finland, Georgia, Armenia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been invited to the congress in Minsk.
Whoever, as said by Pavel Seviarynets, the organizing committee on the BCD creation hasn’t found premises for holding the congress. ‘10 out of 11 structures we had addressed our applications, denied premises to us. One of them hasn’t answered yet. After that we sent appeals to some more institutions additionally. If they would say no, we are in a serious mood to hold the congress on October Square in Minsk,’ P.Seviarynets said.
As said by the politician, the denial to grant premises is connected exclusively with political pressure he believes, as in most institutions they were said preliminary that their assembly halls would be free on 28 February.
As said by him, granting premises the founding congress of the BCD and registration of the party is to become an acid test for the Belarusian regime in the issue of its readiness for a dialogue with Europe. ‘Moreover, in the beginning of March Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, is to arrive to Belarus, and in April the issue of whether to lift sanctions of the West against Belarusian top officials is to be decided,’ P.Seviarynets stressed.
