Paletskis’ credentials questioned

The European Parliament did not officially send Paletskis to Minsk.

A MEP for Poland Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said that in an interview to Polskie Radio.

He said that Justas Paletskis, the author of the scandalous report, went to Minsk on his own initiative or by the invitation of Belarusian authorities.

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski explains his position by the fact that such trips require an approval from the Conference of chairmen of the European Parliament, but nothing is known whether this was done in the case of Justas Paletskis’ travel to Minsk.

According to Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, the European Parliament’s delegation for the relations with Belarus was not informed of the visit either.

“Paletskis’ report causes arguments. There will be a discussion, and there will be amendments, which will lead to the return of the initial policy line of the European Parliament.

At the current stage of the progressing decline of any forms of democracy it is groundless to call upon the cancellation of visa sanctions or the inclusion of non-democratically elected Belarusian ‘parliamentarians’ in Euronest”, - Jacek Saryusz-Wolski emphasized.

The discussion of Paletskis’ report, written by him after his visit to Minsk, is taking place in the European Parliament today.

Amendments will be accepted up until 5 June. The second reading of the document is scheduled for 8 July, the voting will take place on 9 July. The discussion of the document at a European Parliament’s plenary session is expected to take place in September 2013.

We would remind that the Lithuanian MEO visited Belarus in March 2013. That visit saw criticism on the part of Belarusian opposition, human rights activists and the relatives of political prisoners.

Justas Paletskis was mentioned in lord Bell’s plan on improving Lukashenka dictatorship’s image. The report contained a paragraph ‘Direct lobbyism’, which mentioned the work with certain specific EU’s officials and politicians.