12.11.2001 13:20 BPF Press-Group

Senator (Republican) Jesse Helms, a well-known American politician, initiated the bill called "Belarus Democracy Act of 2001". Mr Vincuk Viacorka, the Chairman of the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, has commented in the following way on this occasion:

"I am glad that our last-year meeting with Mr Helms has had such a concrete result. Understandably, there is a fairly long way from a bill to a law. But the very fact of initiating such a legislation testifies that even after the tragedy of September 11, the leading and responsible US politicians remain concerned about the fate of Belarus as well. This is because there cannot be a stable and democratic region of Central Eastern Europe without a democratic, independent Belarus. The document clearly speaks of the non-recognition of the union treaties with Russia, which Lukashenka had no constitutional power to conclude. The clause in the draft which says that the Congress calls on the Lukashenka regime to respect the fundamental freedoms of speech, expression, meetings, associations, language and religion, thus demonstrates an understanding of the connection between democratic and national issues in Belarus. It likewise proposes stern measures against Lukashenka on the international scene, and serious support for the Belarusian democratic civic society. Regardless whether and when this bill is enacted into law, the very fact of its publication is in itself a strong factor of influence on the regime of Lukashenka, as well as for Europe. The bill testifies that the United States have no illusions about Lukashenka."