Ambassadors might not return to Minsk after Easter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus does not expect the EU diplomats to return.

Brussels-based euobserver.com reported about a closed door decision of the EU ordering ambassadors to return to Minsk after Easter.

Diplomats of the EU member states left the Belarusian capital in late February as a sign of solidarity with Polish Ambassador Leszek Szerepka and head of the EU Delegation Maira Mora, who were recommended by the Belarusian MFA to leave the country. The information about the expected return of the European ambassadors has not been confirmed officially.

Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, did not confirmed the information to Radio Svaboda. She reminded a decision on leaving the country by EU ambassadors was approved in late February as a sign of unity and solidarity with the ambassador of Poland and the head of the EU Delegation to Belarus, who were expelled from the country for consultations:

“It happened. They left the country for consultations. We agreed the ambassadors could return on the basis of unified approaches and coordination. I cannot confirm any exact time of their return.”

Giedrius Puodžiūnas, the director of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry's Information and Public Relations Department, said the question of returning Lithuanian ambassador Edminas Bagdonas was “under consideration”, but Lithuania would take an appropriate decision together with other EU member states.

The EU Delegation to Belarus and embassies of a number of EU countries in Minsk do not confirm the plans of returning the ambassadors, recalled for consultations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus said after the Council of the European Union announced its decision of March 23 to strengthen sanctions against the Belarusian authorities:

“In current conditions the Belarusian side does not see any necessity in the presence on the territory of Belarus of the recalled ambassadors of the states that have voted in favor of this decision.”

Belarusian MFA spokesman Andrei Savinykh says the position has not changed:

“The positions were defined clearly. There is no new information on the issue.”