STA, 7 February 2021 - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry has expressed solidarity with, and support for, Belarusian citizens who have been holding peaceful anti-government protests since the presidential elections in August 2020, urging respect for democratic standards and fundamental human rights.
In a message on Day of Solidarity with Belarus, observed on Sunday, the ministry denounced as unacceptable the Belarusian authorities' responding to the protests with "disproportionate violence, illegal deprivation of liberty, and systematic disrespect and violation of fundamental human rights".
The ministry noted the citizens of Belarus, who are continuing their protests across the country, are united in the demand for President Alexander Lukashenko to resign.
The ministry "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", reads the release.
"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 pledged to continue to support the democratic processes and civil society in Belarus.
Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya designated 7 February as Day of Solidarity with Belarus, calling on international leaders, activists and others to support the protesters in their demand for the Belarusian authorities to renounce violence and ensure accountability for all human rights violations.
