Representative of the European Commission: the EU took note of the draft amendments to the Constitution of Belarus
Photo: Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters
The European Union (EU) commented on the published draft amendments to the constitution of Belarus, stating that it took note of it, but Brussels' priority remains “national dialogue and fair presidential elections in this country.” This was announced to RIA Novosti by a representative of the European Commission.
“For the EU, the priority remains the end of repression, the release of political prisoners, a real inclusive dialogue, which should lead to new, free and fair presidential elections under the supervision of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),” the agency's interlocutor said.
He also stressed that these principles were announced in October last year following the EU summit.
Earlier it was reported that Belarusian citizens were allowed to submit their own proposals to the draft of the new Constitution of the country. Now a new stage of work on the basic law begins, the administration said.
The updated version of the Belarusian constitution, which has yet to be adopted, contains additional restrictions on the presidential term, as well as provisions on the Great Patriotic War. The citizens of Belarus will have to vote for or against the adoption of the amendments in the second half of February.
