Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 26 June (BelTA) – Preparations for and the organization of the 26^th summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) give Belarus an opportunity to confirm its reputation as a reliable dialogue platform fit for discussing most sensitive issues. Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko made the statement during the closing ceremony of the second session of the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament on 26 June, BelTA has learned.

According to the speaker, the attention of Belarusian MPs is now focused on preparations for the OSCE PA annual session, which will begin in Minsk in virtually one week. “It is the first time Belarus will host such an important forum. The parliament and interested government agencies have had to deal with a lot of most complicated organizational problems. The work done in close association with the OSCE PA international secretariat allows us to hope that Belarus will confirm its reputation as a reliable dialogue platform, which is fit for discussing most sensitive issues on the international agenda,” said Vladimir Andreichenko.

Vladimir Andreichenko assured that Belarusian MPs will try to use opportunities of the forum to bolster economic positions of Belarus in the international scene.

The OSCE PA session is expected to result in the adoption of documents that reflect the international community’s response to alarming trends of the modern world. “Belarus has also prepared a draft resolution, which suggests measures to better combat the emergence of new psychoactive substances. The draft resolution has already received strong backing from our foreign colleagues. We expect it will be successfully promoted,” said the MP.

The head of the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament said he was confident that the dynamics of international contacts and parliamentary meetings will increase in the second half of the year. “During the 26^th session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly we will have to implement a rather tight schedule of meetings and negotiations with foreign politicians,” added Vladimir Andreichenko.

The OSCE PA summer session, which is scheduled to take place in Minsk on 5-9 July, will be dedicated to bolstering mutual trust and cooperation in the name of peace and prosperity in the region. A lot of events will be held as part of the OSCE PA summer session, including a session of the OSCE PA standing committee and general committees on political affairs and security, on economic affairs, science, technology and environment, on democracy, human rights, and humanitarian affairs. Minsk is expected to welcome up to 700 visitors as part of the session.

Belarus will propose considering a resolution on the development of timely and effective legislative, regulatory, and administrative measures to respond to the emergence of new psychoactive substances.