European countries temporarily recall diplomatic staff from Belarus

(Patria) – Great Britain is the latest in a series of European countries to recall its ambassadors from Belarus in solidarity with Poland and Lithuania, after official Minsk ordered a reduction of their diplomatic staff.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated that Great Britain 'condemns Belarus' for its decision to expel Polish and Lithuanian diplomats, which he called 'completely unjustified'.

- Great Britain will temporarily recall its ambassador for consultations on the situation in Belarus, in solidarity, Raab explained.

Poland and Lithuania recalled 35 diplomats from Belarus on Friday, five days after Minsk withdrew its ambassadors from these two EU member states. Poland and Lithuania were also ordered to reduce the number of staff in their diplomatic missions in Belarus.

Minsk sent the recall request on the same day the EU imposed sanctions against 40 Belarusian officials believed to be involved in election rigging and the subsequent crackdown on civil protests.

EU member states rejected the official election results by which long-time ruler Alexander Lukashenko renewed his mandate.

Poland and Lithuania, which border Belarus, have taken a strong stance against the election results, wholeheartedly supporting the protesters.

Immediately after the presidential elections, these countries, along with Latvia and Estonia, imposed sanctions against Belarus, while Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled to Lithuania, where she is staying safely.

Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Romania, and Slovakia have also temporarily recalled their ambassadors to Belarus.

EU diplomat Josep Borell described Minsk's request to Poland and Lithuania as 'unfounded and wrong', believing that this move would further isolate Belarus in the wider region.

Borell added that 'attempts by the Belarusian authorities towards certain EU member states will not weaken EU unity'.

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained to Borell during a phone call that the measures against Poland and Lithuania aim to achieve 'parity in diplomatic missions', and that the measures 'are not aimed at the EU and dialogue with the alliance'. Members of the Belarusian government claim that the measures were 'provoked particularly by the negative stance of the leaders of these countries towards Belarus'.

Protests in Belarus continue two months after the elections. Euronews writes that around 120,000 people rejected Lukashenko's re-election and called for the release of political prisoners at mass protests on October 4.

According to data from non-governmental organizations, around 250 people have been arrested during the protests.