Press Service Of European Commission: Belarus Violates International Obligations By Blocking Websites

Two EU commissioners have arrived in Minsk.

From June 21 to 22, the EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Talks on Expansion Johannes Khan and the Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel are on a visit to Minsk.

Commissioners Khan and Gabriel will participate in the tenth informal dialogue of the "Eastern Partnership", together with the foreign ministers and the ministers responsible for the development of digital technologies of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Issues of cooperation in the field of digital economy, cyber security and the spread of electronic services will be discussed.

Commissioner Khan will hold bilateral meetings with Aliaksandr Lukashenka, Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei and Minister of Communications and Information Siarhei Papkou. The press service of the European Commission did not comment to Charter97.org on the objectives of these meetings and the issues discussed.

Commissioner Gabriel will meet with the Minister of Communications and Informatization of Belarus to discuss "the possibilities of cooperation in the digital sphere and in the field of cybersecurity."

When a Charter97.org journalist asked if there was pluralism and independence of the media in Belarus (one of the expected results of the "Eastern Partnership"), when the country has blocked the largest independent website, the press service of the European Commission answered the following:

"Undoubtedly, we are waiting for improvements in this area. The same applies to the rule of law and to fundamental freedoms. The EU uses every opportunity to express its concern over the actions of the Belarusian authorities in connection with fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech and the media. The EU continues to remind that blocking Internet sites of independent media is an alarming trend. Such actions are violations of international obligations undertaken by Belarus, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The EU has repeatedly called on the Belarusian authorities to ensure free access to information."