51996IP0607

B4-0607, 0625, 0637, 0640 and 0651/96

Resolution on freedom of opinion in Albania and Belarus

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on freedom of the press and the right of access to the media during election campaigns,

A. disturbed at the attacks on freedom of opinion and expression in several countries of Central and Eastern Europe,

B. whereas this is a fundamental human right and any member of the Council of Europe and/or candidate for membership of the European Union should guarantee to all its citizens complete freedom of expression and opinion,

C. disturbed in particular at the situation in Belarus where the freedom of the press is seriously threatened,

D. having regard to the situation in Albania on the eve of the general elections when access to the media should be guaranteed to all,

1. Is concerned at the actions of intimidation against the media in Belarus, characterised by increased government control and censorship of both independent and state media and stresses in this respect the actions against the independent newspapers such as the Beloruskaya delovaya gazeta, Imya and Narodnaya volya, where attempts are being made to prevent them being printed by state-owned publishing houses;

2. Calls on the Commission and the Council to inform the Belarusian authorities of their deep concern at the violent intervention by OMON, the Belarusian special militia forces at the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on 26 April 1996 when some 200 people were arrested, including several opposition leaders;

3. Recalls that respect for the basic democratic principles in Belarus is a precondition for the EU-Belarus Partnership and Cooperation Agreement as well as the Interim Agreement;

4. Calls for support to be given to the efforts of the democratic community in Belarus to secure the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience;

5. Acknowledges the steps made by Albania towards democracy and stresses the need to strengthen them and to continue in this direction; considers that the general elections on 26 May 1996 are extremely important for the smooth development of the process of democratization;

6. Calls, therefore, on the President and the government of Albania to guarantee that the elections for the parliament will be free and fair; calls furthermore for guarantees that all parties and candidates will be given equal access to the media during the election campaign;

7. Welcomes the fact that, in the framework of the PHARE democracy programme, the Commission gives full support to the development and establishment of democratic institutions in Albania;

8. Expresses its resolve to ensure that the process of further cooperation between the Eastern and Central European countries and the European Union must be directly linked to the full respect for democracy and constitutional principles;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the President, Government and Parliament of Albania and the President, Government and Parliament of Belarus.