Milinkevich Nominated For European Prize

Belarusian opposition leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich at the European Parliament in April (epa)

August 30, 2006 -- A group of European lawmakers have nominated Belarusian opposition leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich for this year's Sakharov Prize.

The European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Belarus said that in this year's presidential election Milinkevich had shown "courage to challenge Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the last dictator of Europe."

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, was set up in 1988.

It is awarded each year by the European Parliament on or around December 10.

The prize is worth 50,000 euros.

(www.charter 97.org, Belapan)