B4-1246, 1248 and 1293/95

Resolution on Belarus

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the partnership and cooperation agreement between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Republic of Belarus on the other hand, now before Parliament for assent, and in particular its Articles 2 and 4 thereof,

- having regard to the planned signature of the interim agreement by the Council,

- having regard to internationally recognized labour standards, in particular ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 88, which have been ratified by the Republic of Belarus,

A. whereas from 16 to 21 August 1995, workers of the Minsk underground and trolleybus system went on strike to protest against the authorities' non- compliance with collective agreements,

B. whereas the authorities then arrested and detained several trade union leaders, including Vladimir Makarchuk and Nikolai Konakh, and whereas approximately 60 workers who participated in the strike have been dismissed following a court ruling that the strike was illegal,

C. having regard to the arrest of Gennady Bykov, President of the Free Trade Union of Belarus (FTUB) and one of the leaders of the Congress of Democratic Trade Unions of Belarus, together with two of his colleagues,

D. having regard to reports on the harsh conditions of their detention; whereas the Belarus President apparently ordered that those dismissed must find employment at a collective farm for two months and receive a favourable recommendation before being considered for further employment anywhere else,

E. whereas on 1 September 1995 the Belarus President's Decree 336 of 21 August 1995 was published, which suspends the activities of the Free Trade Union of Belarus and the Cell Union of Minsk Subway Workers and which establishes that activities of political parties, public organizations and trade unions taking part in strikes affecting enterprises mentioned in the list approved by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated 28 March 1995, shall be terminated using the due process in law,

F. whereas the recent parliamentary elections in Belarus did not result in the establishment of a newly elected parliament; whereas there is therefore no democratically legitimised legal framework for ratifying legislation in Belarus,

G. whereas, according to the independent Belarus League for Human Rights, the detention of trade union leaders as well as the above-mentioned presidential decree should be considered a violation of Article 35 of the Belarus Constitution; whereas a procedure was due to start on 10 October 1995 before the constitutional court of Belarus on the legality of presidential decrees and their confirmation by the parliament,

H. whereas the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) have submitted an official complaint to the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva against these violations of ILO Conventions ratified by Belarus,

1. Expresses its regret and dismay at the infringements of trade union rights in the Republic of Belarus and calls on the Belarus authorities to apply fully the relevant ILO Conventions which it has ratified;

2. Calls upon the Commission and the Council in their contacts with the Belarus authorities to raise the matter of trade union rights, against the background of the EU-Belarus partnership and cooperation agreement, signed by both parties and now waiting for Parliament's assent, and the interim agreement;

3. Recalls that signing the partnership and cooperation agreement entails a commitment to the respect of basic democratic principles;

4. Calls upon the President of Belarus to withdraw Decree 336 of 21 August 1995 and to provide for the release of trade union members who are still in detention, and urges him to take all necessary measures to conclude as soon as possible the electoral process for a new parliament in order to restore the democratic legal framework in the country;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the President of Belarus, the ICFTU, the WCL and the ILO.