MPs adopt address to international community over situation around Belarus

“We, members of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus - the authorized representatives of the Belarusian people - ask the international community to assess the situation around our country with an open mind. Under the guise of promoting democratic values, we see aggressive all-round pressure on the sovereign state and its citizens, a flagrant violation of the basic principles of international law on non-interference in the internal affairs. Such actions pose a real threat to international peace and security, violate the generally recognized provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, of which our country was one of the founding members. We see independence, human development, economic growth and strengthening of Belarus as both the obvious basis for the well-being of our citizens and also as the key to geopolitical stability in the vast region of Europe, Russia and Asia,” the address reads.

The MPs believe that instead of supporting and developing mutually beneficial cooperation, a number of states are actively working to destabilize the Republic of Belarus by engaging in a massive smear campaign against us aimed both at drawing our citizens in destructive activities to push through a coup d'etat and also at cultivating an extremely negative image of the country on the international arena.

“Unprecedented and unjustified sanctions are being imposed. We see as absurd the actions to deprive the Republic of Belarus of the right to host international sports competitions and to participate in contests, ban on air traffic, discrimination against companies and organizations, and, ultimately, ordinary citizens of our country. Belarusians will withstand this pressure because we have something to lose. In the 20th century we had to restore the country twice: from the ruins of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and in the wake of the Soviet Union collapse in 1991. Strong government and strong law enforcement did not allow to turn Belarus into another hot spot on the political map of the world. Ordinary Belarusians also shape the history of their country, understand their responsibility for its future," the document says.

“Today the political and economic pressure on our country is not ceasing, but increasing. The stated goal is to promote democratic values and freedoms. In reality, it is completely different - to undermine the economic potential of our country, to slow down the country's development, to curtail social programs, deteriorate people's living standards and, as a result, to undermine the sovereign Belarusian statehood, to form a zone of economic, geopolitical and social instability in the center of Europe that is already undergoing a series of crises: migration crisis, economic downturn, COVID-19 pandemic. We appeal to our foreign partners to respect the principles and norms of international law in their relations with Belarus, because disregarding them once it will be difficult to make them matter again. We are ready for dialogue, but not for pressure, and we declare with responsibility that any attempts to encroach on our right to independent development are futile and shortsighted,” the MPs and senators said.

“We call on the international community to speak against the unreasonable, counterproductive and discriminatory policy against the Republic of Belarus, to show solidarity with our country in defending the right to sovereignty and a peaceful life, to return to responsible and constructive interaction for the benefit of all countries and peoples, in the name of peace, security and prosperity,” the document reads.

According to Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova, those who call for sanctions - and these people mostly live outside Belarus - are against the people, against the foundations of the state, the policy of which centers on an individual.

“We have more than 18,000 MPs of all levels, representatives of people. We communicate with people a lot and see that people are outraged by injustice to Belarus. After all, the main goal of the state policy is to improve the wellbeing of people, while calls for sanctions cross this red line. Belarus is doing its utmost to maintain peace and stability in the country. Yet, there are those who are trying to undermine enterprises and weaken the economy in order, as they say, to ‘provoke hunger riots', and, as a result, rip the country of its statehood and sovereignty.

We are not just concerned, we are outraged! That is why we have adopted this address to the international community. We want the external pressure on Belarus to stop!” said Natalya Kochanova.