Opinions & Interviews
Rigoni emphasizes recent progress in Belarus-Council of Europe relations
MINSK, 23 March (BelTA) - Belarus and the Council of Europe have recently made significant progress in their relations, Andrea Rigoni, Rapporteur on Belarus of the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said as he met with Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko on 23 March, BelTA has learned.
“I would like to say that over the past two years and a half we have managed to achieve a lot more than we did in the past decade. When we talk to each other calmly, we compare the issues we have and are able to build trust-based relations, as it should be,” Andrea Rigoni said. On PACE’s behalf he thanked Belarus for everything that has been done to promote this cooperation.
Andrea Rigoni took note of some positive steps that helped make Belarus and the PACE closer to each other. First of all, it was the invitation of the PACE observers to monitor the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015-2016. He also noted a positive attitude towards the Belarusian parliament in Strasbourg.
The guest added that he is set to present a draft report on Belarus at the meeting of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy in April 2017. It is expected that the report will be approved at the PACE meeting in June 2017.
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