mr president i call on the council and the commission to urge the belarus authorities to end their practice of issuing exit visas to their citizens in particular children and students
whereas in most instances a visa is required to enter a country in belarus one needs a visa in order to leave the country
i raised the issue of the international travel ban on children from this country with the belarus opposition leader alexander milinkevich during the ppe-de group meeting this morning
he told our group that the belarus regime has imposed this travel ban as it does not want children to see how the other half lives
from my own constituency of ireland south something like eur seventy million has been raised and expended in looking after children and improving the conditions in which they live in their orphanages
my colleague marian harkin has already referred to the ban here this evening
i understand now that in fact the bilateral agreement between ireland and belarus will not be in place until may or june
therefore i join with her in calling for the exemption to be granted to ireland so that children can travel for christmas and get the help and assistance that they require
