The European Parliament's political response to the situation in Belarus in the aftermath of the presidential elections of 19 December 2010 will be discussed on Wednesday 12 January during an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in association with the Subcommittee on Human Rights, the Delegation for relations with Belarus and the Delegation to the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly.

'The recent violent events in Belarus have proven that the new policy of engagement has not resulted in positive changes. We must decide on the future of the EU's relations with Belarus. We have invited Belarusian opposition and civil society representatives to join us and share their views and experience so that the response of the international community is tough towards the authorities but one that does not isolate the people.' said Jacek Protasiewicz MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Belarus.

On Wednesday 12 January, in Room PHS 1A002, from 13.00-15.00 hrs, MEPs together with opposition leaders will discuss and prepare the European Parliament's political response to what has been happening in Belarus since the elections took place on 19 December 2010. The meeting will be honoured by the presence of Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, as well as Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, Head of the OSCE/ODHIR long-term election observation mission, and Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Chair of the Movement for Freedom in Belarus (Sakharov prize laureate 2006).

See Programme.

The meeting will be web-streamed live on the EP website and can be followed here.

At 17.00 hrs, Jacek Protasiewicz MEP and the EPP Group invite you to the screening of a film documenting the brutal police crackdown on the participants of a peaceful demonstration in Minsk when voting ended on the 19th of December 2010. The film will be followed by a debate with representatives from the opposition from Belarus:

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      Eva Neklayev - daughter of Uladzimir Neklayev, 2010 presidential candidate, in KGB custody and accused of staging mass unrest
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      Viktar Ivashkevich - Belarusian Popular Front, representative of Andrei Sannikau, 2010 presidential candidate, in KGB custody and accused of staging mass unrest
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      Sergei Kalyakin - Chairman of the Belarusian United Party of the Left "Just World", coordinator of a domestic monitoring effort of opposition political parties
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      Aleksandr Kozulin - 2006 presidential candidate, arrested and jailed from 2006 to 2008
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      Denis Sadovski - Belarusian Christian Democratic Party, representative of Vital Rymascheuski, 2010 presidential candidate and accused of staging mass unrest

Press release condemning the use of brutal force against Belarusian presidential candidates and activists

Press release calling the authorities to release from prisons all presidential candidates

For further information:
Jacek PROTASIEWICZ  MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845743
Joanna Bekker, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-476-94338

Notes to Editors:
The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 265 Members.