Council of Europe: Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to address Parliamentary Assembly

Former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is to address the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) by videoconference on 8 September 2020, during an exchange of views on the situation in Belarus following the 9 August Presidential election. A representative of the National Assembly of Belarus has also been invited to participate. PACE President Rik Daems, who recently called for “an all-inclusive national political process” in the country to ensure a peaceful and democratic transition, will also take part. According to a statement from the Strasbourg-based body, “Belarus applied to join the Council of Europe in 1993 but its parliament’s special guest status with the Assembly – regarded as the first step towards membership – was suspended in 1997”. “However since then the Assembly has continued to hold an ongoing dialogue with Belarusian authorities, parliamentarians and civil society, and frequently invites members of the National Assembly of Belarus, as well as members of the extra-parliamentary opposition, to attend meetings of its committees”. The exchange on 8 September should be streamed live (in English, French, German, Italian and Russian - www.coe.int), subject to the committee’s approval that this part of the meeting is public, beginning between 10 and 10.15 am.
Gianni Borsa