Westerwelle: Europe will not allow Lukashenka to establish bans on contacts

Germany's Foreign Ministry summoned Belarusian ambassador to Germany Andrew Giro to give explanations.

Diplomat was clearly given to understand that denial of accreditation of the Swedish ambassador because of his contacts with the Belarusian opposition is unacceptable, said on Tuesday, August 14, Foreign Ministry of Germany, reports Deutsche Welle.

"Europe will not allow the government of Lukashenka to establish bans on contacts" - said the head of the German Foreign Ministry Guido Westerwelle. At the same time, he called Aliaxandar Lukashenka to open the way for reforms and changes in the country. "We will relentlessly continue to insist on compliance with human rights and freedoms and beginning of the process of reforms and transformations in Belarus", - quotes the words of the German Minister the KNA agency.

The decision to summon the Ambassador of Belarus to the German Foreign Ministry has been agreed with the authorities of other 26 EU member states, reports dpa with reference to the Foreign Ministry. On August 10, the EU members have decided to invite for explanations the diplomatic representatives of Belarus in the community.

In early August it became known that the authorities in Minsk refused to extend accreditation of the Ambassador of Sweden Stefan Eriksson. He was expelled on the basis of the raging scandal over the unauthorized flight over Belarus, which was accompanied by the airdrop of teddy bears with slogans in support of freedom of speech. Another reason for actions of Minsk is Eriksson connections with the Belarusian opposition.