Opinions & Interviews

Boleslav Pirshtuk recalled that the national organizing committee for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session has already held its first meeting. The next one is scheduled for mid April. “We are, in fact, responsible for technical issues: infrastructure, accommodation, meals, safety, equipment, transport service. We certainly have to organize everything in the best possible way,” the vice speaker said.

According to him, the preparations for the 26th summer session are on schedule. The Belarusian side has taken into account the experience of other states in organizing such events. For example, Belarus studied the experience of Georgia which hosted the 25th session in 2016. “Belarusians are very scrupulous in this regard. We do not ignore even small things. We pay attention to everything. We want our guests to feel comfortable. The event will gather 350 MPs, not considering many other participants,” Boleslav Pirshtuk said.

In his words, the foreign guests, the majority of whom have never been to Belarus before, will be able to learn more about the country, including about its investment appeal. “We will welcome representatives of many EU states, CIS countries, MPs from the United States and Canada. These countries are our main economic partners. This is going to be a milestone event for Belarus. We have never hosted the event of such scale and such scope of participation before,” the Vice Speaker noted.

Boleslav Pirshtuk also stressed that the House of Representatives is set to host a meeting with Christine Muttonen, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, on 15 March. The parties are expected to sign an agreement on the organization of the 26th OSCE PA Summer Session in Minsk. “This is an important document that elaborates all the details. This document determines the zones of responsibility and, when it is signed, we will get down to its implementation,” the Vice Speaker said.

Minsk will host the summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 5 to 9 July. The event will focus on the ways of strengthening mutual trust and cooperation for peace and prosperity in the region. It is expected that the Belarusian capital will host approximately 700 participants. The session is expected to be eventful. It will include meetings of the OSCE PA Standing Committee and the three General Committees of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly: on Political Affairs and Security; on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment; on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. The program for foreign guests will include visits to the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, Mir and Nesvizh castles, excursions around Minsk and so on.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was established in Madrid, Spain in April 1991. It is comprised of 323 MPs from 57 countries. Its major tasks include to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue, support democratic institutions in the OSCE participating states, and promote cooperation and security in the region. The annual summer session is the largest event on the OSCE PA calendar that brings together the leadership and officers of the OSCE PA, adopts declarations and resolutions.