EU to tackle corrupt Belarus

THE EU is increasing its support for ordinary citizens in Belarus in an effort to counter what it says is the country’s collapse into dictatorship.

About €12 million has been voted by the EU for a range of programmes to encourage democracy in the country bordering Russia and three EU states - Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

The EU’s European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights will spend the money on working with civil society and Non-Government Organisations, on educational efforts and getting the message of democracy across in the media such as on radio.

Luxembourg Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean Asselborn, who chaired the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers at the weekend, said the Belarus regime “has made every effort to stifle the last critical voices ... and has tightened its hold on all aspects of the political and social life of the country.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said Belarus is the only country on its borders with which the EU has no relationship. Ireland, with its history of helping those affected by the nuclear fall-out from Chernobyl, had a major interest in this country, he added.

Belarus is closely tied into Russia but its president, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has been shutting off the country from the rest of the world. There are growing reports of torture, executions and the disappearance of political opponents.