Strasbourg, 28.03.2006 - Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania, Chairman-in-Office of the Council of Europe Committee of Minister, today made the following statement:
“I am deeply concerned over the last developments in Belarus following the presidential elections held on 19 March, which were marred by a series of major irregularities. I consider unacceptable the attitude of the Belarusian authorities which, on 25 March, chose to respond to the legitimate actions of the people of Belarus through threats, the use of force, and arrests. This is a regretful confirmation of the aggressive suppression of freedom of expression and association and of the forceful intimidation of the political opposition that the authorities of Belarus operated in the run-up to the presidential elections.