Secretary general of Germany`s ruling party to meet with opposition figures in Minsk :: Charter'97 :: News

The secretary general of Germany`s ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was expected to arrive in Minsk on Tuesday on his third visit to Belarus within a year.

As Aleksandr Milinkevich`s press office told BelaPAN, Ronald Pofalla is scheduled to meet with the former presidential candidate on January 23.

"Germany will continue providing support to Aleksandr Milinkevich, leader of the pro-democracy movement, and help Belarus` pro-democracy forces. The courage that Belarusians display while fighting for democratic changes in the country is impressive," the press office quoted the CDU leader as saying ahead of his visit to Minsk.

Mr. Pofalla will use his visit to study Belarus` political situation following the 2006 presidential vote and recent elections for local soviets, as well as call on the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, restore political freedoms and remove obstacles to the operation of independent media outlets.

The politician, who will visit Minsk in company with German MP Marieluise Beck, also plans to meet with imprisoned opposition leader Aleksandr Kozulin`s lawyer, Igor Rynkevich, prominent opposition figure Sergei Skrebets, who has been recently released from prison, and some public figures.