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The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius addressed Edi Rama, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, and Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the incoming Swedish OSCE Chair, regarding the situation in Belarus that had seized the world's attention.

“Belarus, just like all participating States of the OSCE, has committed itself to respecting human rights and freedoms, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, protecting human rights defenders and media representatives, as well as creating an environment that supports their activities without the intervention of force structures,” L. Linkevičius writes in his letter.

According to Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, the international community must not remain indifferent to the situation. We must demand responsibility from the incumbent Belarusian leadership. First, call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately release all peaceful protesters, who were unlawfully detained; then, to ensure the accountability of officers for their brutality.

Minister L.  Linkevičius believes that there is only one solution to the situation – a peaceful transition of power, engaging in a dialogue with the opposition and civil society, as well as organizing the new election that would meet democratic standards. The OSCE could play a key role in this process. Lithuania has always been and will remain a proponent of a peaceful, constructive dialogue that should be supported by both international organizations, which promote and defend human rights and freedoms, and individual states.