Belarus Closes Embassy in Sweden, Demands Stockholm to Do Same

Belarus closes down its embassy in Sweden and demands Stockholm to do the same until August 30.

However, the Belarusian ministry of foreign affairs stresses that the diplomatic relations have not been severed.

Belarus decided to recall all its diplomats from Sweden as the reaction to two major Belarusian diplomats including Chargé d'Affaires being expelled and new Belarusian ambassador — who has an agrement issued by Swedish authorities — being barred from entering the country.

In its turn, the Stockholm’s decision was made after Minsk refused to extend the accreditation of Swedish ambassador Stefan Eriksson.

Sweden established its embassy in Minsk within the framework of European conception of supporting Belarus’ independence.

Western countries considered diplomatic missions to Minsk to strengthen recognition of Belarus as independent state and hoped to deepen Belarus–EU relations.

Stefan Eriksson, an emblematic diplomat, became the first Sweden ambassador to Belarus.

He speaks fluent Belarusian. He isn't a typical diplomat: open-hearted and public, he is the manifestation of another political culture, of another type of civil servant.

Belarus doesn’t have large business ties with Sweden. Only European countries importing oil products from Belarus have such ties.

At the same time Sweden never concealed its support of human rights and civil society.

And first of all Stefan Eriksson intensified civil and cultural cooperation.

Sweden received hundreds of Belarusian scientists, officials, artists, journalists, teachers. Dozens of Swedes visited Belarus. The embassy of Sweden has recently moved to a new roomy building in Minsk’s old town.

This was ‘engagement policy’ par excellence.

Europeans hoped to gradually engage Belarus into European processes, European mainstream, to infect Belarusians — including ‘lukashenkers’ — with the desire of European lifestyle: considering both wellbeing and rule of law.

The EU diplomats proceeded from Lukashenka elites wish to balance between Russia and Europe preserving national independence.

Sending out Stefan Eriksson, Belarus declared new diplomatic war on the EU.

Minsk requires stopping supporting the opposition. The EU faces a hard choice now.

Europe tried to avoid a conflict, but now there is a dilemma: either to lose face or to lose presence. If EU choses the latter, ‘engagement policy’ will not be possible anymore.

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