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Minsk Forum chair hopes for acceleration of reforms in Belarus

Reiner Lindner, chairman of Minsk Forum XII, has expressed hope that the event focusing on the European Union’s Eastern Partnership would help accelerate political and economic reforms in Belarus.

Belarus’ participation in the Partnership will be a success if the authorities pay equal attention to support for economy, civil society and democratization, Mr. Lindner said at the closure of the three-day forum on November 6.

The EU attempts to open up opportunities for the Belarusian people, not the government; governments are changing, he noted.

Mr. Lindner praised Belarus for coming up with many cooperation projects for the Eastern Partnership.

When commenting on the internal situation in the country, he said that Belarus tackled the effects of the global economic crisis more efficiently than other states in the region. Privatization reform is of importance, but Minsk and foreign institutions hold different opinions about its pace, he noted.

Mr. Lindner said that little progress had been made toward press freedom, with the authorities failing to take all steps that they could to remedy the situation.

He expressed hope that the EU would continue to promote general European values in its dialogue with Minsk. //BelaPAN