You're reading: Belarus ready to guarantee democratic elections

Head of the Belarusian presidential administration Vladimir Makei has expressed the readiness of Belarus to expand relations with the EU in various directions and confirmed the determination of the Belarusian authorities to guarantee open and transparent presidential elections slated on December 19.

"Some partners are now in waiting for the outcome of the elections. The approach is wrong. The leadership of Belarus is interested more than anybody in open and transparent elections," he said at the opening of the 13th Minsk forum on Wednesday.

"It is important to concentrate on using the potential that exists between Belarus and the EU," he said. "I am glad to say that the process has begun began, there is a dialogue at various levels, changes are pending in overcoming barriers in personal communications," he said.

"We are being reproached for not conforming with European values, for a rollback in relations between Belarus and the European Union. These are irresponsible declarations," Makei said.

"There has been a significant improvement in the past two years in the dialogue with Europe," he said. "Belarus is and will continue contributing to social and economic stability, to energy security in the region," he said.

Thus "any rollback in relations with the EU on our part is out of the question," he said. He said Belarus will be consistently advancing democracy. "The priorities in tackling these tasks will be set by the Belarusian people," he said.

Speaking of "color revolutions and governed democracy" Makei said they have shown what should not be done. The EU has failed to fully give up its practice of sanctions and various restrictions, he said. "Belarus has the right to expect constructive steps, specifically on marters of simplifying visa regulations and cancelling all sanctions," he said.

"Minsk is ready for joint constructive work," he said.

Belarus would want "Europe and Russia to realize that its multivector policy is not aimed against any side," he said. "Now we have a real chance of raising the relations between Belarus and the EU to a qualitatively new level," head of the Belarusian presidential administration said.