Independent unions offer help to restore EU trade preferences

The Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions called on the government to react "in the most serious way" to the EU's decision to abolish trade preferences for Belarus and to meet fully the requirements of the International Labor Organization. This was announced in a statement disseminated by the Congress's council on June 21.

The statement also said that in case the Belarusian government makes responsible steps, "the situation could be repaired within months and the lost preferences could be restored for this country".

"When the interests of the country and the people prevail over the political opportunistic reasons in the actions of the government, the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions is prepared to take up responsibilities and initiate the return of trade preferences back to the country within a very short period of time, the statement said.

The congress also warned the government against temptation to use the abolishment of trade preferences as a pretext for naming independent trade unions as internal enemies and the International Labor Organization and the European Union as external enemies, reports naviny.by web-based newspaper.