Belarus’ opposition seeks observer status in CoE Committee of Ministers

May 24, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has urged the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to support Belarusian pro-democracy forces’ bid for observer status in the Council of Europe (CoE) Committee of Ministers.

In her address to the PACE Standing Committee’s meeting in Vilnius, she also noted that the opposition regards Belarus’ eventual joining the CoE as the first step towards European Union membership.

The illegitimate regime of Alaksandar Łukašenka must be deprived of the right to represent Belarus, she stressed.

This month, Lithuania took over the rotating presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers, declaring support for civil society, independent media and human rights activists from Belarus and other countries “oppressed by authoritarian regimes” as its priorities.

Since November 2022, the CoE has run a contact group for Belarus, which includes Belarusian pro-democracy and civil society leaders. It also provided the pro-democracy forces with an office in its building in Strasbourg and developed a two-year action plan this January.