By Štefan Füle - 24th January 2012
We will maintain our cooperation with the authorities only in areas where we consider that withdrawing our support would impact on the Belarusian people rather than the regime
Štefan Füle
Until Belarus reverses its trend of repression of human rights it can expect no bilateral dialogue or support from the EU or its member states, writes Štefan Füle.
A year has now passed since the disputed presidential elections which marked the beginning of a new wave of repression in Belarus.
Since then, a fear has taken hold of the country, with restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Belarusian citizens, the curtailment of civil society activities and the repression of independent speech. It is truly shameful that well into the 21st century there are again political prisoners in the heart of Europe.
The EU has made it an urgent priority to address this situation. A number of council conclusions have been adopted, and innumerable statements and declarations have been made.
Last month, on the eve of the first anniversary of the disputed elections, our shared concerns were once more reiterated in a joint statement by EU high representative Catherine Ashton and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Our current approach in the country has two key strands. The first consists of a range of sanctions which target the heart of the regime.
These include visa bans and asset freezes on a number of specific individuals and economic entities; an embargo on both arms and equipment for internal repression; and the restriction of European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) lending.
These have not only acted to maintain the political pressure on the Belarusian authorities, but have also helped to express our solidarity with the victims of the repression.
We have been clear that further bilateral engagement with the Belarusian authorities will not be possible until all political prisoners have been released and rehabilitated, and significant progress is made on human rights.
We will maintain our cooperation with the authorities only in areas where we consider that withdrawing our support would impact on the Belarusian people rather than the regime.
Yet a country is about more than just its government, and this has always been reflected in the second strand of our approach: our engagement with all those in Belarus who support reform and modernisation.
The role of civil society organisations is particularly crucial, as they are at the forefront of the struggle for democratic principles and human rights.
We have therefore significantly stepped up our support for these organisations, including through increased political backing and financial assistance, and have even gone beyond our pledge to quadruple the funding available for their work.
We are also maintaining our cooperation with the Belarusian political opposition, including through ongoing engagement with key opposition figures. We will continue to work with them to discuss the potential European future for the country, and to support them in becoming increasingly relevant to the people of Belarus.
In turn, they must continue to take a strong and unified approach in setting out a clear democratic alternative to the current regime, and in engaging with all those who support reform in the country.
In the longer term, my belief is that this approach will help to lay the foundations for a far more significant transformation in Belarus, with the values of democracy, rights and freedoms at its heart. Our vision is to continue to work with the Belarusian civil society and opposition in order to help bring about these shared ambitions.
The EU has an array of tools which can help to support lasting change, including increased assistance, enhanced economic integration, increased EBRD and EIB involvement, and greater mobility.
Yet much of this support will only become available once the political conditions are right, and our work with civil society and the opposition will therefore continue to be essential in identifying the key reforms that will be necessary to achieve this.
Such opportunities to engage on a more transformative agenda are necessary so that the country can one day resume its place in the European family of democratic nations.
Štefan Füle is European commissioner for enlargement and European neighbourhood policy
