The Belarusian election process and results, the visible presence of the military, arrests, and the suppression of peaceful protests dispel all illusions that the election was democratic, stated Rihards Kols, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima, on Monday, 10 August, after the Committee meeting. Today, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima held a meeting to discuss the situation in Belarus after the presidential election.

“Democracy and human rights are fundamental preconditions for the strengthening of relations between Latvia and Belarus, and we cannot abandon these principles for the sake of supposed stability. We must use all available instruments of diplomatic and political pressure to convince the Belarusian government and law enforcement authorities to respect the civil liberties and rights of the people of Belarus,” stressed Kols.

Referring to the Statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier today, Kols emphasised that only by adhering to fundamental democratic rights and freedoms a positive development in relations between the EU and Belarus would be possible. As a neighbouring country, Latvia supports such a development.

Ministry representatives underlined that the Belarusian presidential election of 9 August did not conform to the standards of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Ministry calls on the Belarusian government and law enforcement authorities to respect the civil liberties of the people and the right to express their political views. The use of force against peaceful protesters is unacceptable. In the statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia calls for immediate release of the detained protesters.

Saeima Press Service