Belarus' senator describes atmosphere at OSCE PA Winter Meeting as tense

The Belarusian delegation is taking part in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting in Vienna, BelTA learned from the press service of the upper house of parliament.

“The OSCE PA meeting is taking place in an edgy atmosphere due to the serious Russia-Ukraine crisis. The presentations by speakers and national parliamentary delegations from Western countries are one-sided and anti-Russian in nature. The parliamentarians of these countries are doing nothing to facilitate an objective and professional dialogue on the situation in Ukraine,” said Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Rachkov.

According to him, the procedure of the meeting is being violated, “which shows the unwillingness of Western countries to comprehensively consider the proposed issues on the agenda. This will exacerbate the crisis in the OSCE and its parliamentary dimension.”

“The Belarusian delegation participates in all the events of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting in Vienna,” Sergei Rachkov added.

The Belarusian parliamentary delegation at the OSCE PA Winter Meeting is led by Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Andrei Savinykh. On 23 February, the Belarusian delegation is taking part in Day 1 events of the OSCE PA Winter Meeting: a Joint Session of the three General Committees, as well as meetings of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment and the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.

The press service of the House of Representatives specified that despite the provocations of the Ukrainian delegation, Andrei Savinykh was able to speak at the meeting of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security.