Paris, 13.1.97 - COUNCIL OF EUROPE Parliamentary Assembly President Leni Fischer today announced that the Assembly's Bureau (*) had decided to suspend the Belarusian Parliament's special-guest status (**) because the way in which the new legislature came into being deprived it of democratic legitimacy.
"Although the Assembly cannot accept continued relations with a Parliament appointed by President Lukashenko, we nevertheless preferred suspension to withdrawal of guest status from Belarus so as to maintain contact and support positive developments," said Mrs Fischer.
"Belarus's new constitution is illegal, and - according to the 40-nation Council of Europe's Venice Commission - does not respect minimum democratic standards and violates the principles of separation of powers and the rule of law," she added, stressing that this retrograde step had serious consequences not only for the people of Belarus but for Europe as a whole.
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Press Contact:
Micaela BÖRNER, Council of Europe Press Service
Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 95 - Fax : +33 3 88 41 27 89/90Christiane DENNEMEYER, Council of Europe Press Service
Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 63 - Fax +33 3 88 41 27 89/90
Ref. 11(97)
(*) The Bureau consists of the Assembly President, the seventeen Vice-Presidents and the Political Group Chairs or their representatives.
(**) This status, which was introduced in 1989 and granted to Belarus on 16.09.1992, allowed a delegation of seven members of parliament to attend sessions of the Assembly in recognition of Belarus's move towards democracy and respect for human rights.
