Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, will not be present at a high-level meeting which is to take place as part of the Eastern Partnership initiative in Minsk, reform.by reports with reference to its own sources.
In late September, state-run news agency BelTA reported that Mogherini would arrive in Belarus on October 4-5. The EU diplomacy chief was reportedly going to meet with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Prime Minister Syarhei Rumas.
(UPD) “We regret to inform you that the visit of Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, as well as the Eastern Partnership high-level event, which were planned for 4-5 October 2019 in Minsk, have been postponed due to a number of agenda changes of various participants, and following contacts with the Belarusian hosts,” the EU Delegation to Belarus said on Facebook.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius will not participate in the meeting as well.
“We confirm the cancellation of the Lithuanian Foreign Minister’s visit. I cannot give the reasons at the moment, we are waiting for the explanation,” Rasa Jakilaitene, Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, told tut.by.
Moreover, Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz has also called off his visit as Warsaw is now paying the last respects to Kornel Morawiecki, one of the Solidarity leaders.
In early August, Andrea Wiktorin, a former Head of the EU Delegation to Belarus, said that Federica Mogherini may visit our country for ‘signing the visa facilitation agreement’.
“Such option is being considered, dates to be agreed upon are being discussed. But she has a desire to visit Belarus,” Wiktorin stressed.
In September, the European Commission submitted the signing of the Agreement on visa facilitation with Belarus to the working bodies of the Council of the European Union. The cost of a Schengen visa for citizens of Belarus will be reduced from €60 to €35 two months after the signing of the Treaty on Visa Facilitation and Readmission by Belarus and the European Union, the new head of the EU Delegation to Belarus, Dirk Schuebel, said on the air of ONT TV channel.
