Belarusian MFA slams another unfriendly move by Lithuania

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the restriction by the Lithuanian authorities for the treatment of Belarusian citizens in the Belarus sanatorium.

"The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a cynical statement in the media that the Belarus sanatorium in Druskininkai must apply to some public organization to get a permission for Belarusian citizens to get visas for treatment at the sanatorium. We regard this vagary by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a complete violation of all norms of civilized communication, as a move to turn the system of diplomatic relations between states into a farce. Not to mention the fact that the transfer of personal data and personal medical records to unauthorized structures directly contradicts the legislation of the European Union," the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry noted that the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is well aware that the majority of those who are sent for rehabilitation and recuperation to Druskininkai are children, including disabled children with various chronic diseases. “Vilnius' attempt to blatantly disregard the health of Belarusian children is beyond human morality. The Lithuanian authorities do not care not only about the Belarusians. They could not care less about their own citizens since another 60 employees of the Belarus sanatorium are going to lose their jobs in the wake of this decision,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed.

“We are well aware that the Lithuania political establishment has invested money and political capital in the ‘Belarus’ democratization’ project and that they need to save face somehow. It is obvious that all their efforts have been in vain, that they have been cold-shouldered by the Belarusian people. Perhaps, it is time for them to stop. Systemic support and financing of the structures that seek a violent overthrow of the government in Belarus is no longer a game. This can lead to irreversible consequences,” the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Lithuanian officials to reconsider their odious and totally unacceptable initiative and to stop interfering with internal affairs of the neighboring sovereign state so that they could stand tall in the eyes of not only Belarusian children but also their own children in the future.