Belarus: the French ambassador leaves the country at the request of Minsk – franceinfo

The French ambassador to Belarus, Nicolas de Bouillane de Lacoste, left the country after Minsk asked him to do so before Monday, October 18, a spokesperson told AFP on Sunday. The embassy spokeswoman did not explain the reason given by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry for asking the ambassador to leave. “He said goodbye to the embassy staff and sent a video message to the Belarusian people, which will appear on the embassy’s website tomorrow.”, reported the spokesperson.

According to Belarusian media, the ambassador never presented his credentials, the documents that formalize which formalize the appointment and accreditation of the ambassador, to President Alexander Lukashenko. France, like other countries of the European Union, has not recognized the results of the presidential election last August, which granted a sixth term to Alexander Lukashenko and sparked massive protests for several months. and unprecedented in this former Soviet republic, an ally of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

The European Union adopted a series of sanctions against the Belarusian regime after the crackdown on opponents of Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian authorities succeeded in putting an end to the demonstrations, imprisoning hundreds of opponents and shutting down dozens of media and NGOs. Opposition leaders have all been jailed or forced into exile.