June 21, the Political Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe appointed Estonian MP Andres Herkel a new Special Rapporteur on the situation in Belarus. He took over Finnish MP Sinikka Hurskaynen in office.
Sinikka Hurskaynen expressed concern about the situation in Belarus during her speech at the meeting of PACE on political affairs, held on May 31. She said that the Belarusian authorities «persistently fail to comply with Council of Europe standards of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.»
PACE has consistently been engaged in a dialogue not only with the official Minsk but with the democratic forces of Belarus, civil society, representatives of the opposition, independent media and human rights organizations.
