News

In an expression of solidarity and unity, the European Union has decided to withdraw all ambassadors to Belarus for consultations to their capitals following the request by Belarus on 28 February that the head of the EU delegation to Belarus and the Ambassador of Poland to Minsk leave the country. All EU member states will also summon Belarusian ambassadors to their foreign ministries.

On 29 February, the head of the Belarusian Embassy in Lithuania was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. At the meeting, regret was expressed over the request by the Belarusian authorities that the head of the EU delegation and the Ambassador of Poland leave the country for consultations. It was also highlighted that move contrary to spirit of friendly relations between the EU and Belarus was only deepening Belarus’ self-isolation.

During the meeting, it was stressed that Minsk should not doubt that the EU policy towards Belarus remained unchanged and that the EU had a firm commitment to act united.

Moreover, the head of the Belarusian Embassy in Lithuania was informed that in an expression of solidarity and unity Lithuania also recalled its Ambassador to Belarus for consultations.

During the conversation it was also underlined that Lithuania was striving for good neighbourly relations with Belarus and its people, however, Belarus had to respect human rights and freedoms, release and rehabilitate political prisoners, stop harassing the opposition, independent media and intimidating EU diplomats in Belarus. Normalization of the Belarus-EU relations depends on Minsk.