Ekaterina Zaharieva with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya: Bulgaria Ready to Assist Belarus
08 October 2020 News
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva assured the presidential candidate of the opposition of Belarus Svetlana Tikhanovskaya that Bulgaria was ready to assist the country. „In the EU we are discussing ways to support the aspiration of the Belarus society for democracy. Bulgaria is ready to support you; we too have been there, back in 1989,“ Zaharieva said. The meeting between Zaharieva and Tikhanovskaya took place in the framework of the 15th edition of the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya updated Minister Zaharieva on the situation in Belarus.
„I thank you for the leadership and the strong support for the people of Belarus,“ said Tikhanovskaya. Zaharieva in response expressed her admiration for so many brave women in Belarus.
At the same time, in connection with the developments in Belarus a decision was taken to recall for consultations in Sofia Georgi Vassilev, Bulgarian Ambassador to Belarus, as a sign of full solidarity and support for our EU partners Poland and Lithuania, following the steps against the two countries to reduce their diplomatic activities in Belarus. This decision is in line with the common and coordinated approach of the EU. On October 8 Ambassador Georgi Vassilev handed a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus to the effect of his leaving the country.
The attempts of Belarusian authorities to exert pressure on diplomatic offices of EU member states are inadmissible. Along with that, we call for immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and all persons detained during the peaceful rallies in Belarus, for swift and effective investigation of instances of police violence and for launching a national dialogue with the opposition with the ultimate aim of holding free and fair elections, in accordance with the demands of the Belarusian people.
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