EU slams Belarus crackdown :: Charter'97 :: News

The European Union Tuesday strongly condemned the recent arrests of opposition leaders in the former Soviet republic of Belarus. In a statement worked out by EU foreign ministers, and backed by Ukraine, Turkey and other neighboring countries, the bloc said it was concerned at the "growing oppression" of opposition forces, trade unions and independent journalists, and called for the immediate release of political prisoners.

"The EU sees these actions as attempts by the regime to eliminate potential opponents of President Lukashenko in the run-up to the forthcoming presidential elections," read the statement. Elections are slated for 2006 in the communist state that borders EU members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

The Union also said it regretted the increasing use of anti-western language in state-controlled media and said it was "perturbed by Belarus`s isolationist tendencies."

Last month U.S. President George W. Bush described Belarus under Lukashenko as Europe`s "last dictatorship."
lllll