Romania will allocate EUR 100,000 to support the civil society and the independent media in Belarus, in the context of the massive protests against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, the Romanian foreign affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu announced on Twitter.

Aurescu said the EU "mustn't tolerate abuses such as the recent detainment of representatives of the Coordination Council of opposition."

"The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in the process of allotting EUR 100,000 in support of civil society & independent media of Belarus," the Romanian minister also said in his Twitter post.

On #Belarus #EU mustn't tolerate abuses such as recent detainment of representatives of Coord Council of opposition. Tomorrow @ #Gymnich in Berlin I'll renew t/call 4 sanctions. RO MFA is in t/process of allotting 100 000 Euros in support 4 civil society & independent media of 🇧🇾

— Bogdan Aurescu (@BogdanAurescu) August 26, 2020

Earlier this week, more than 200 cultural personalities in Romania, including film directors, actors, and writers, have signed an open letter asking president Klaus Iohannis, prime minister Ludovic Orban and foreign affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu to take a firm position in supporting the civil society and human rights in Belarus. 

They said, for example, that Romania should make a clear statement that it doesn't recognize Lukashenko's election for a new mandate as president of Belarus. Moreover, Romania should cut diplomatic ties with Belarus if the Lukashenko regime continues the repression against the protesters.

newsroom@romania-insider.com

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