Union of Polish Communites in Europe

Europäischer Verband Polnischen Gemeinschaften

Union des Communautés Polonaises en Europe

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List od Komisarz Ferrero-Waldner

 

Benita Ferrero-Waldner

Member of the European Commission

Brussels, 31 of August, 2005

 

 

       Dear Mrs Miziniak and Mr. Smigielski,

 

Thank you for your letter of August 5^th concerning the recent renewed acts of intimidation by the Belarusian government against the Union of Poles in Belarus (UPB).

 

I fully share your concern about the deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus. The government's interference with the activity of an independent organisation of the Polish minority in Belarus and the continued harassment of its leaders constitute one more expression of the undemocratic nature of the Lukashenko regime. In a press statement issued just after the temporary detention of UPB's elected leader, Mrs. Angelica Borys, I have condemned in the strongest terms these renewed attempts to silence opposition and to restrict freedom of expression. The EU Presidency's declaration of August 2^nd reflects well the concern of the Commission at the continued and growing repression of civil and human rights in Belarus.

 

The European Commission has promptly reacted to the deterioration of the Human Rights situation in this country by increasing its support to democracy and civil society, including in particular the transfer of € 2 million from the Tacis budget to the more flexible European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and Decentralised Cooperation instruments. In total about € 8.7 million of EU funds will be available in 2005 for supporting democracy-related projects in Belarus. Moreover, in order to guarantee a minimal access to independent media for the Belarusian public we have already signed a contract with Radio Deutsche Welle which should begin broadcasting to Belarus in early October. We are considering further and larger independent broadcasting projects for possible financing under EIDHR ‘targeted projects’

 

In coordination with the UK Presidency of the EU, the Commission and the EU Member Slates intend to review the .situation in Belarus in early September. In this context we will discuss possible further EU measures that could be conducive to an improvement of the Human Rights situation in this country.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Benita Ferrro-Waldner

 

 

 

Mrs Helena Miziniak, President

Mr Roman Smigielski, Secretary General

Union of Polish Communities in Europe

240 King Street

London W 6 ORF

Great Bretain

 

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