Alfred Sant jappella għar-rikonċiljazzjoni nazzjonali u d-demokratizzazzjoni fil-Belarus

Talbiet għal intervent dirett mill-UE jistgħu ikunu kontroproduttivi waqt li dikjarazzjonijiet li jindikaw ir-rikonoxximent ta’ President elett tal-Belarus huma prematuri u motivati politikament.

F’riżoluzzjoni adottata b’574 vot favur, 37 kontra u 82 astensjoni, il-Parlament Ewropew irrifjuta r-riżultati uffiċjali tal-elezzjonijiet presidenzjali fil-Belarus tad-9 ta’ Awwissu ta’ din is-sena, billi dawn l-elezzjonijiet saru fi “ksur flagranti tal-istandards kollha rikonoxxuti internazzjonalment ”.

Alfred Sant ivvota favur ir-riżoluzzjoni li tikkundanna l-istat attwali fil-Belarus iżda esprima dubji dwar elementi ewlenin tat-test kif ippreżentat.

Waqt spjegazzjoni tal-vot, Alfred Sant qal li l-avvenimenti wara l-elezzjonijiet presidenzjali ħallew lill-pajjiż destabilizzat u żied li s-sistema politika fil-Belarus issa laħqet livell inaċċettabbli ta’ ripressjoni statali mmirata biex issaħħaħ gvern totalitarju.

Alfred Sant innota li l-Parlament Ewropew ma setax jikkundanna l-indħil Russu fl-affarijiet tal-Belarus, filwaqt li jistieden lill-atturi tal-Unjoni Ewropea biex jagħmlu l-istess. Riskju reali huwa li l-Belarus ssir teatru ieħor għall-konfront bejn is-soft power tal-UE u r-real politik tar-Russja.

“Għalkemm jien personalment kuntrarju li dan il-Parlament jippronunzja ruħu dwar l-affarijiet ta’ pajjiżi oħrajn, jaslu mumenti meta s-solidarjetà mal-ġlieda għad-demokrazija u kontra d-dittatorjat tegħleb il-konsiderazzjonijiet l-oħra kollha. Allura, filwaqt li ma ħadtx sehem fil-voti separati ewlenin fuq dan ir-rapport, ivvotajt favur it-test finali, bħala ġest ta’ solidarjetà mal-poplu tal-Belarus fil-ġlieda tagħhom għal-libertà”, qal Alfred Sant.

 

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Alfred Sant calls for national reconciliation and democratization in Belarus

Requests for direct intervention by the EU can easily boomerang while statements indicating the recognition of a Belarusian political leader as president-elect seem premature and politically motivated.

In a resolution adopted by 574 votes in favour, 37 against with 82 abstentions, the European Parliament rejected the official results of the presidential elections in Belarus on 9 August this year, as these elections were conducted in a “flagrant violation of all internationally recognised standards”.

Alfred Sant voted in favour of the resolution that condemns the current state of affairs in Belarus but expressed doubts on major elements of the text as presented.

In an explanation of vote, Alfred Sant said that events following the presidential elections have left the country destabilized and added that the political system in Belarus has now reached an unacceptable level of state repression aimed to reinforce a totalitarian government

Alfred Sant added that the European Parliament cannot condemn Russian interference in Belarusian affairs, while inviting Union actors to do the same. A real risk is that Belarus becomes yet another theater for confrontation between the EU’s soft power and Russia’s real politik.

“Though I am personally averse to this Parliament pronouncing itself on the affairs of outside countries, there come moments when solidarity with the struggle for democracy and against dictatorship overrides all other considerations. So, while not taking part in the main separate votes on this report, I voted in favour of the final text, as a gesture of solidarity with the Belarusian people in their fight for liberty”, Alfred Sant said.