site.btaPrime Minister: Bulgaria Favours Comprehensive Review of EU-Belarus Relations

Sofia, August 19 (BTA) - Bulgaria favours a comprehensive review
 of the European Union's relations with Belarus, but change in
that country should come from its own citizens, not from the
outside, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov told an
extraordinary online meeting of the European Council on
Wednesday, as quoted by the government press service. Borissov
noted that the support which the EU has been providing to
Belarus for years has been targeted precisely at civil society
and democratic institutions.

During the meeting the EU leaders discussed the events in the
former Soviet republic in the wake of the August 9 presidential
elections there, which, according to them, were not free and
fair.

"We continue to follow with concern the situation in Belarus,"
Borissov said. "The future sanctions should be directed against
those who are responsible for the undemocratic approaches in the
 country, not against its citizens, who are confronted by many
difficulties in this crisis period." The concrete dimensions of
the sanctions are to be discussed by the EU foreign ministers.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister told the other EU leaders that the
use of violence against peaceful protestors is unacceptable and
should be prevented. He stressed the importance of political
dialogue with the government and the opposition in Belarus with
a view to averting a further mounting of tensions. "All avenues
of dialogue should remain open," he said.

Borissov underscored the important role of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe in tackling the Belarus
crisis. "All instruments of the EU neighbourhood policy which
would help de-escalate the situation should be employed," he
said. He supported a proposal to send an EU fact-finding mission
 to Belarus. NV/VE