The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) meet with exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who will be physically present, to discuss the latest developments in the country in the European Parliament in Brussels. They will also adopt recommendations on how the EU should reassess its relations with Belarus following the fraudulent presidential elections, subsequent popular uprising and brutal crackdown by the authorities.

Brussels

statement

EU - Belarus (T)

vote

AUŠTREVIČIUS, Petras (Renew, LT)

Committee for Foreign Economic Relations

Proposal on relations with Belarus: statement by Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Renew, LT), rapporteur

SOUNDBITE (English), Petras AU&#352;TREVI&#268;IUS (RE, LT), Firstly, I have to congratulate the Foreign Affairs Committee of European Parliament at such a timely report. We are not following. We are shaping events. And it's not necessarily a usual happening in the European Parliament. And I think we are very ready. I'm into it to engage into this debate with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya once she is in our committee. I believe we will hear some new because things are developing so rapidly and changing every day, every hour on the ground. So we have our report, which is very solid as a good base - not just for considerations, but for actions as well. And we are going to ask Madame to Tsikhanouskaya ahead to what extent our assessment fits well to reality.

SOUNDBITE (English), Petras AU&#352;TREVI&#268;IUS (RE, LT), I think we got an excellent report and my big thanks to all shadows and the people involved in making this report. First of all, political messaging. So we do not recognize elections, we call that illegitimate elections. We don't call Lukashenko a legitimate president. He's a former president. So we are calling madam to Tsikhanouskaya here as president elect by people. And we ask to engage the European Union to full extent into a dialog for National Co-ordination Council. In order to put forward some actions which are needed. On economic side, we are in favor of reviewing all the direct financial support of the European Union to Belarus. It can't go to the state budget. It must go to people, civic society, victims of repressions and students. And finally, we are asking the European Union for a comprehensive review of our relations with Belarus. And we are really hoping to have this review as soon as possible in order to be ready for that.

SOUNDBITE (English), Petras AU&#352;TREVI&#268;IUS (RE, LT), Simply regime of Lukashenko is afraid of words, of truth. So that's why I mean, they are closing down borders. They are so brutal on people and they don't let foreigners as well as media to come. You know, that they are thrown away and arrested many journalists. Which is unbelievable in the midst of Europe in the 21st century. So that's why our no go, let's say, policy to Minsk is a good reflection. What kind of regime we have next to the EU borders?