Andrei Sannikov: No real steps forward are made by Belarus toward European Union :: Charter'97 :: News

5-8 September in Polish town Krinitsa the Economic Forum, the most prestigious event in Central and Eastern Europe, has been staged the 17 time. Krinitsa became the important place at the global map and probably the most attended event when the East and West meet. The Forum is also the European message in the discussion of the Eastern policy of the European Union. The Forum’s motto is «Europe – crisis, changes or chance?». Belarusian invitees at the Forum are leader of the “For Freedom!” movement Alyaksandr Milinkevich, international coordinator of the Chareter’97 Andrei Sannikov, deputy foreign minister of Belarus Valeri Varanetsky.

Economic Forum brings together representatives from more than 60 countries – Europe, America, and Asia. Forum will be attended by more than 3000, from that amount near 1800 persons with category “Guest” – including European commissioners, presidents,, outstanding policymakers (among them former presidents of the Czech Republic and Poland Vatslav Gavel and Aleksandr Kwasnevsky) prime ministers, governmental and parliamentary delegations, NGO’s representatives, experts and political, journalists (near 350), economic and cultural leaders.

Forum’s agenda covers over 130 debates and presents a number of analytical reports divided into following thematic fields: Business and Management; Macroeconomics; New Economy ;Science and Culture; Fuels and Energy; International Affairs and Security; EU and its neighbors; Regions; Society; State and reforms.

At the special presentation the Forum participant get acquainted with the annual report – “New Europe. Report on Transformation.” The Report aims at progress assessment of the transformation process and economic integration of the states of Central and Eastern Europe in 2006 and the first half of 2007. The Analysis covers 27 countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Southern and Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics. The common characteristic of these states is the fact of launching major political reforms in 1989-1991, which aimed at development of democracy as well as competitive market economy integrated with world-wide economy.

Leader of the “For Freedom!” Movement Alyaksandr Milinkevich has been invited to the Economic Forum as a moderator at the sittings on the Easter Europe issues.

According to him “it is very hard to organize and implement the international policy regarding Belarus. On the one hand, it is essential to express denial of the situation in Belarus, on the other hand, it is necessary that the economic cooperation should continue. It is senseless to isolate Belarus. It is necessary to impose conditions. Such conditions have been very well-formulated by the European Commission and I consider them compulsory for discussion”.

Delivering the speech at the seminar”Poland, Germany, Eastern Europe - Common Responsibility» which was held 6 September within the Forum Alyaksandr Milinkevich stressed that Belarus is waiting for the coordinated policy not only of Poland and Germany. The policymaker considers it very important for such influential country as France to participate in the process of Belarus’ democratization.

Special attention was paid by Alyaksandr Milinkevich to the necessity of the Schengen visa costs reduction for Belarusians. ”We can’t let the ordinary people suffer from the Schengen area extension”.

International coordinator of the Chareter’97 Andrei Sannikov dwelt on the Forum events:

“At the forum the section on Belarus was arranged. Alyaksandr Milinkevich, representatives of the Javier Solana’s office and many European analysts were present at the section. The situation in Belarus and its possible changes in the context of the latest propositions of the European Union spoken aloud in Brussels were considered at the section. However the European Union has not noticed any steps forward of the Belarusian officials which could have allowed the EU to consider concrete projects on cooperation with Belarus. The political prisoners are still kept in jails, arrests of the opposition activists continue. It excludes the very possibility of a serious talk on cooperation. The EU representatives acknowledged that 27 members of the European Union were completely unanimous as far as the situation in Belarus is concerned. Milinkevich and me dwelt upon the situation with the civil society and democratic force, on the European March to be held in Belarus in support of the EU propositions. The interest to the European March as well as to everything implemented in Belarus for its getting closer to the European Union is great”, Andrei Sannikov reported.