Jerzy Buzek: Ice hockey championship in Belarus is a mistake

The president of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, is disappointed with the position of the International Ice Hockey Federation, which confirmed its decision to hold the 2014 world championship in Minsk.

Buzek's spokesman Robert Golański told this in an interview to Polskie Radio. He said the decision was a mistake and called it a gift for Lukashenka.

According to the spokesman, Jerzy Buzek had sent an appeal to the International Ice Hockey Federation a year ago on behalf of the European Parliament urging to cancel a decision to hold the prestigious tournament in Belarus, the country which violates human rights.

The IIHF received a lot of signals condemning its position. Besides the EP resolution, Buzek’s spokesman mentioned a letter of the US Congress signed by president Barack Obama, who called to suspend the IIHF’s plan until all Belarusian political prisoners are released.