Belarusian authorities asked ambassadors of the European Union and Poland to leave the country, in response to sanctions against 21 officials of Lukashenko’s regime applied this week.
The President of Belarus turns his back on Europe. Are his CIS colleagues next?, author: mb7art, source: flickr.com
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Update:
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Wednesday 28 February:
The announcement of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads: “The EU Council decision demonstrates that the European Union continues its policy of undisguised pressure. We have repeatedly explained at every level that such policies in relations with the Republic of Belarus would not have any prospects … Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Belarus and Ambassador of Poland to Belarus have also received the recommendations to return to their capitals for consultations and to convey to their leadership a firm position of the Belarusian Side on inadmissibility of pressure and sanctions”.
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Minsk also recalled its own ambassadors from Brussels and Warsaw.
At a press conference held at 4 pm, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk – who was informed about this turn of events from the present journalists – said that Warsaw’s policy towards Belarusian regime would not be affected by these latest actions. He also ensured that tomorrow Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski would speak on this matter. The first short statement of Marcin Bosacki, the spokesperson of the Ministry, appeared on the website of Polish MFA. The Minister on Twitter: “Catherine Ashton’s statement soon”.
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“Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the decision of Belarusian authorities to recall the EU Head of Delegation and Polish Ambassador to Minsk” – read here.
The European Union has already banned 231 Belarusian officials and persons “responsible for the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition in Belarus” from crossing the EU border.
Grzegorz Schetyna, head of Poland’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said: “We are counting on the solidarity of the European Union [and] the solidarity of ambassadors of EU countries [in Minsk]”.
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Background story: EU: Slovenia Rescued Belarusian Businessman.
Source: thenews.pl
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