The citizens of Belarus, who are continuing their protests across the country, are united in the request for President Lukashenko to resign. 7 February was declared Day of Solidarity with Belarus, and the Belarusian authorities were urged to renounce violence and ensure accountability for all human rights violations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses solidarity with the victims of excessive post-election repression by the Belarusian authorities; with journalists, academics, cultural professionals, intellectuals, doctors, students, factory workers, and especially with the female population, who are an important driving force of the protests.

The only way to ensure a peaceful future and prosperity for the Belarusian people is to establish a genuine and inclusive political dialogue between all stakeholders of Belarusian society with a view to rerunning the presidential elections. Therefore, we call on the Belarusian authorities to allow the representatives of the OSCE and the Council of Europe to enter the country and to follow the recommendations of the Moscow Mechanism.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support the democratic processes and civil society in Belarus.