Speaking for the Austrian Presidency, the country's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hans Winkler told the European Parliament's 16 February session in Strasbourg that he does not expect next month's presidential elections in Belarus to bring about a "sweeping change". "Our work on Belarus has to be framed in the long term," Winkler said.
Belarus will hold presidential elections on 19 March 2006. According to the EU, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the previous presidential and parliamentary elections in Belarus - in 2000, 2001 and 2004 - failed to meet international standards. The country's current authoritarian president, Aleksander Lukashenka, is standing for a third consecutive term.
A draft resolution by the European Parliament states that the authorities in Belarus continue to create obstacles to the campaigning of the independent candidates and a number of leading opposition figures have been detained. The MEPs underlined that Belarus is the only country in Europe not yet linked to the EU by a partnership and co-operation agreement.
Recently, the Commission launched a new project package aimed at supporting democratic organisations and the free flow of information in Belarus. Among other things, a radio station has been set up to provide independent information in Belarusian and Russian.
The MEPs expressed "solidarity with, and support for, all Belarusians who strive for an independent, open and democratic Belarus". The MEPs "deeply deplored" the fact that the country has not invited election observers from either the European Parliament or the Council of Europe.
