Council Of Europe Called To Support Belarusian Refugees
- 19.06.2023, 10:12
Legal and administrative obstacles should be removed.
The Council of Europe member states have called on to remove administrative and legal obstacles for Belarusians in exile and provide them with an appropriate level of protection, allowing them to integrate while preserving their national identity. This is the recommendation in the report by Paul Gall which will be considered by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
"The Belarusians who fled their country after the rigged presidential elections in August 2020 were forced to do so by the Lukashenka regime. This forced exile made them victims of human rights violations in the host countries where they took refuge, sometimes as an unwitting consequence of sanctions imposed on the Lukashenka regime," the report states.
It notes that the main wish of the Belarusians who left is to return to a democratic Belarus, but this prospect remains remote.
"Removing legal, administrative and practical obstacles they face, and supporting Belarusians in exile should be a priority for Council of Europe member states, as a democratic and secure Belarus is part of the solution to the security problem in Europe," says the rapporteur.
He also stresses that democratic forces are striving to create a "new Belarus" in exile and such efforts should be supported.
The draft resolution which is to be considered at the PACE session contains specific recommendations for the member states of the Council of Europe. In particular, it concerns the issue of humanitarian visas in all embassies and consulates that are still operating in Minsk.
Also, the draft proposes the Council of Europe countries to take adequate solutions to enable Belarusians to travel freely within the EU. The draft resolution contains a proposal to create parliamentary friendship groups with Belarusian democracies, measures to support civil society, lawyers in exile, access to education and culture, financial services and economic activities.