In the runup to the presidential elections on 19 March, the opposition forces are seeking increased support from the EU in their quest to topple the regime of President Alexander Lukashenka. At a conference in Prague organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), EU politicians in turn expressed their backing to the country's democratic opposition, stressing that Europe can and should become more involved in helping the Belarusian oppositions parties and NGOs.
"We have to work together with all international organizations, like the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), on a new strategy of how to support civil society, citizens, and democratic forces," said PACE President Rene Van der Linden.
Speaking for the Belarusian opposition, Vincuk Viacorka of the Popular Front Party - supporters of opposition presidential candidate Alexander Milinkevich - said that "what is happening now in my country is absolutely incompatible with European values. We need strong solidarity messages from our European neighbours and brothers."
The EU, which has already voiced serious concerns about the possibility of a fair presidential election in Belarus, launched on 26 February a new 2 million euro Belarusian and Russian-language television and radio broadcasting programme targeted at Belarus. The project is run by a consortium of Russian, German, Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian partners under the names European Radio for Belarus and Radio Baltic Wave [www.belradio.fm].
