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Polish, Lithuanian, Romanian presidents voice support for Belarus civil society, urge int’l aid

21.09.2020 14:40
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania and Romania have voiced support for the people of Belarus in building democracy and civil society institutions while also urging international assistance for the country.
The Polish Presidential Palace in Warsaw.
The Polish Presidential Palace in Warsaw.Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

In a joint statement, the three leaders declared their “will to stand together with the people of Belarus in building a democratic path, via democratically elected state leadership, a free civil society, market economy and the rule of law.”

Poland’s Andrzej Duda, Lithuania’s Gitanas Nausėda and Romania’s Klaus Iohannis jointly called on the European Union, of which their countries are members, to “extend a package of assistance for the democratic Belarus’ economic transformation.”

The three presidents also appealed to the international community to join the EU and its member states “in preparing a positive agenda for Belarus together with a support package for the political, economic and societal transition of the country.”

The statement comes as Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is expected to unveil a plan for wide-ranging international economic assistance to Belarus at a meeting of EU leaders this week.

Morawiecki told reporters last week that the plan would include opening the EU to Belarusian entrepreneurs and establishing a stabilization fund, possibly with the participation of the International Monetary Fund.

Polish state news agency PAP cited him as saying at the time that Belarus should be provided with financial assistance of at least EUR 1 billion.

(gs)

Source: IAR, president.pl