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The presidents of Romania, Poland and Lithuania signed a joint statement on the situation in Belarus, the presidential administration announced Monday morning. The three heads of state support the construction of a democratic path for Belarus and offer to provide the Minsk authorities with the necessary knowledge to initiate political and economic reforms.
Declaration of the presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania: proposal for a democratic Belarus
We, the Presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania, as Member States of the European Union:
- Firmly supporting freedom and the promotion of democratic principles,
- Emphasizing that free, fair and transparent elections are a fundamental democratic right of every nation,
- Recognizing as legitimate election results only if they are held in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and are monitored at the international level,
- explicitly recognizing that no one but the people of Belarus has the right to decide the fate of their country,
- reaffirming our respect for such a legitimate decision,
- understanding that a prosperous Belarus, based on social trust and a common vision, is essential for a more stable and secure Europe,
We declare our willingness to support the people of Belarus in building a democratic path, through a democratically elected state leadership, a free civil society, a market economy and the rule of law;
We offer our experience and knowledge for the course of political and economic reforms, for the construction of independent institutions and to ensure an environment where respect for human rights and freedom of expression are a fundamental and unbreakable norm of society;
We believe that, in support of the people of Belarus, it is useful for the European Union, as the world’s great economic power, to propose a package of assistance for the economic transformation of democratic Belarus. The package should include, among other things:
- facilitate trade with the European Union and assist in negotiations for accession to the World Trade Organization;
- a liberalized visa regime, when the necessary conditions are met;
- assistance for the diversification of the energy sector and for the energy security of Belarus;
- access to financial resources for the restructuring and start-up of the liberal Belarusian economy;
- increased presence and activity of international financial institutions for the reform of the Belarusian economy and to increase investments.
We call on the international community to join the European Union and its member states in preparing a positive agenda for Belarus, together with a support package for the country’s political, economic and social transition.
Declaration of the Presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania: Proposal for a Democratic Belarus – English version
Statement by the Presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania: our offer to democratic Belarus
We, the Presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Romania, as members of the European Union:
- standing firmly for freedom and the advancement of democratic principles,
- stressful that free, fair and transparent elections are the fundamental democratic right of any nation,
- acknowledging the results of elections as legitimate only if they are carried out in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and are subject to international electoral observation,
- explicitly acknowledging that no one but the people of Belarus has the ultimate right to decide the fate of their country,
- soothing our respect for any decision made for legitimate reasons,
- understanding that a prosperous Belarus based on social trust and a common vision is a precondition for a more stable and secure Europe,
Declare the will to join the people of Belarus in building a democratic path, through a democratically elected state leadership, a free civil society, a market economy and the rule of law;
Offer our experience and know-how in the path of political and economic reforms, building independent institutions and safeguarding the environment, where respect for human rights and freedom of expression would be an unbreakable fundamental norm of society;
We believe that by supporting the people of Belarus, the European Union, as a great world economic power, should extend an assistance package for the economic transformation of democratic Belarus. The package must include, Among others:
- facilitation of trade with the EU and assistance in negotiations for accession to the WTO;
- visa-free regime when necessary conditions are met;
- assistance for the diversification of the energy sector and energy security of Belarus;
- access to financial resources for the restructuring and start-up of the liberal economy of Belarus;
- increase the presence and activity of international financial institutions in the reform of the economy and the promotion of investments,
We call on the international community to join the European Union and its member states in preparing a positive agenda for Belarus together with a support package for the country’s political, economic and social transition.
Unprecedented demonstrations in Belarus following the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko
Also read: EU Ambassadors in Minsk, message of solidarity with the Belarusian opposition: “Political prisoners in Belarus”
Editor: Bogdan Pacurar
