Muscat denied access to observe Belarus election

Labour MEP Joseph Muscat, who is vice-president of the European Parliament's (EP) delegation to Belarus, was informed yesterday not to travel to Belarus to observe next Sunday's presidential election.

Mr Muscat was denied a visa to Belarus together with another six MEPs forming an ad hoc EP delegation to follow the election.

Mr Muscat told The Times that all the members of his delegation were informed by the Mission of Belarus to the EU that their request for a visa was refused.

The refusal was accompanied by a note from the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Viktar Gaisenak, warning the MEPs not to attempt to enter Belarus because this will be taken as provocation.

According to the Belarus government, considered by many as the last European dictatorship, the request for visas has been turned down as the Belarus side does not have any obligations vis-à-vis the EP especially when taking into account the fact that the latter does not recognise the Parliament of Belarus.

Asked whether the delegation will still try to go to Belarus, Mr Muscat said the final decision will be taken today by the MEPs during a meeting in Strasbourg.

The European Parliament has long been pushing the Belarus government to make sure the presidential election will be fair and democratic.

On Sunday, Alexander Lukashenko, the president for the past 12 years, is expected to declare victory once again.

A 2004 referendum to decide whether President Lukashenko could stand for a third-term produced a resounding "yes". The EU labelled the result as fraudulent.

During the past 12 years, Mr Lukashenko's government has been under fire from other governments and international organisations for violations of human rights and the lack of political freedoms.

Russia's political support has been the sole lever that has kept Belarus from total international isolation.