MP: Respect Belarus just like it respects other nations

GLUBOKOYE, 18 April (BelTA) – Belarus should be respected just like it respects sovereign interests of other states, said Vladimir Andreichenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, as he met with workers of the open joint-stock company Glubokskiy molochnokonservny combinat (Glubokoye tinned milk factory). Vladimir Andreichenko said sanctions against Belarus had been caused by its independent domestic and foreign policy. The European Union demands that Belarus should release so-called political prisoners, should change election laws that allegedly do not meet international standards, and should abolish capital punishment. However, there is no legislation on political crimes while people, who are serving their time and are called political prisoners by the European Union, have committed criminally punishable acts. They called for an overthrow of the constitutional system, took part in an attempt to pillage the Seat of Government, said Vladimir Andreichenko, who witnessed the events on 19 December 2010 first hand. In 2010 Belarusian election laws were radically remodeled – 90% in compliance with recommendations of the OSCE ODIHR. All political parties and citizens were granted the ability to nominate candidates. Pickets are not forbidden, meetings with electors are arranged after notifications. “Thus, political prisoners or election laws are not the problem. The problem is they don’t like the government, the parliament, the president. They don’t like that the republic chooses integration with Russia, that the Customs Union, the Single Economic Space have been created, that the Eurasian Union is being created. They don’t like that Belarus lives by its own laws. We are a sovereign state, we have our own constitution, our own laws. We have the right to pursue an independent domestic and foreign policy based on the will of the people,” said Vladimir Andreichenko. Belarus should be reckoned with. Negotiations are needed, not an ultimatum, stressed the head of the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament.

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