January 28, Pozirk. The participation of Belarusian opposition delegates in a PACE session will allow to promote Belarusian issues in the Council of Europe in general and its parliamentary body in particular, Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja’s chief adviser Franak Viačorka told Pozirk.
“The Belarusian delegation is officially participating in PACE for the first time. Representatives of the pro-democracy forces participated before, but now it is formal and official. It became possible thanks to the pro-democracy forces’ cooperation and Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja’s efforts with the leadership of the Council of Europe and PACE, which began almost three years ago,” Viačorka said.
He recalled that Council of Europe officials and the pro-democracy forces formed a contact group and PACE agreed on a formal status for the Belarusian delegation. “We are grateful to PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset for their support. We understand that this is a non-standard and unconventional solution, but we live in non-standard times that require just such solutions,” Viačorka said.
He hoped the agenda would include human rights, political prisoners, transnational repression and similar issues. The delegation could also participate in the discussion of regional and global problems.
PACE is holding the Winter Session in Strasbourg on January 27–31. The Belarusian delegation consists of six Coordination Council members.
The opposition council’s press office named them as Anžalika Mielnikava from the Team Łatuška and Movement for Freedom faction, Pavieł Łatuška from the same faction, European Choice’s Alaksandra Mamajeva and Valeryj Mackievič, Marharyta Vorychava from Youth Offensive, and Pavał Cieraškovič from Our Cause.
The delegation may not vote in plenary sessions and committee meetings.
On January 30, PACE will consider a draft resolution on holding free and fair elections in Belarus.
