Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 21 September (BelTA) - The European Union lacks respect for the sovereignty of Belarus, which is one of the major obstacles for the development of relations, BelTA learnt from Algirdas Paleckis, Chairman of the Socialist People's Front of Lithuania.

“Before lecturing others, which part of our elite likes to do, we should become ideal ourselves. If the EU showed more respect to Belarus’ sovereign rights, I think the relations would normalize. Currently we see the lack of respect,” the politician noted.

Algirdas Paleckis thinks that it is the EU who should make the first step towards the normalization of the Belarus-EU relations. “I think the ball is more on the EU’s side. If it started to treat Belarus as an equal partner rather than lecturing it, I think it would help the sides make progress in their relations,” he said.

“Any country has some problems. There are a lot of drawbacks in the Lithuanian electoral system but nobody from the Belarusian side says that our elections were marred by violations, which is why they would not like to talk to us because we are undemocratic,” Algirdas Paleckis added.

Algirdas Paleckis took part in the events timed to the anniversary of the establishment of the Belarusian Party of Labor and Justice. On 21 September a solemn gathering and a concert were held at the Central House of Officers in Minsk. A number of officials and public figures had been invited to attend the event, including representatives of the Presidential Administration, the Oblast Executive Committees, the national public association Belaya Rus, the Belarusian Communist Party, the United Russia party and the Socialist Party of Ukraine.

The Belarusian Party of Labor and Justice was created in 1993. Its slogan is “Labor and Justice are permanent values of mankind.”