The Prime Minister of Estonia Mr. Jüri Ratas, Prime Minister of Latvia Mr. Krišjānis Kariņš and Prime Minister of Lithuania Mr. Saulius Skvernelis met on August 14-15, 2020, within the framework of the Baltic Council of Ministers in Tartu, Estonia.
The Prime Ministers expressed deep concern of the violent crackdown of the peaceful protests and the political repression of the opposition by the authorities after the Belarusian presidential elections that were neither free nor fair. The Prime Ministers urged the Belarusian authorities to refrain from the violence against peaceful demonstrators, release all political prisoners and those that have been detained during the protests. The Prime Ministers call on Belarus to conduct free and fair presidential elections in a transparent way with the participation of international observers.
The Prime Ministers also encouraged the EU to find possibilities to impose restrictive measures against officials responsible for the violence, at the same time not punishing Belarusian people for the actions of their leadership. It is also important that EU will find ways and means to give more support to the Belarusian civil society as the Belarusian people deserve an open and free society.
Mr. Sandris Sabajevs
Press Secretary of the Prime Minister
Phone: +371 67082865, mob. phone +371 22087726
E-mail: Sandris.Sabajevs@mk.gov.lv