“In light of the current situation in Belarus, we reaffirm our unwavering support for the well-being and national sovereignty of the Belarusian people. We urge to engage in an open dialogue with the society on the long-awaited changes that the people of Belarus hold desirable and necessary,” stressed the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland in their joint statement on Tuesday, 11 August following the Belarusian presidential election.
“Free election, as well as freedom of speech and assembly are fundamental democratic values; it is for this reason that we, the parliamentarians of the countries neighbouring Belarus, call for an immediate end to the use of force against peaceful protesters and to cease the persecution of the opposition. The current situation is not in line with democratic principles,” said Rihards Kols, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima referring to the joint statement.
In the spirit of solidarity with the international community, the statement calls upon the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners and those illegally detained over the last few days.
“We believe that dialogue and reforms will improve the development of Belarus by promoting good neighbourly relations in our region and re-establishing successful relations with the European Union. We are ready to support such efforts by finding effective solutions in the name of the common future of our region,” affirmed the parliamentarians of the countries neighbouring Belarus in their joint statement.
Saeima Press Service