MINSK, February 29 (Itar-Tass) — Members of the Belarusian parliament expressed regret over worsening relations between Belarus and the European Union. " The recent developments aroused deep regret, but it was not Belarus that provoked them," said Vice-speaker of the Low House of the Belarusian parliament Viktor Guminsky, commenting on the EU decision to recall the ambassadors of all the EU countries from Belarus. He criticized a number of Western politicians whose declarations "often go beyond the framework of diplomatic ethic," the MP said.
Guminsky admitted that Belarus has problems caused by the economic crisis from where Belarus was gradually emerging, "but Belarus threatens no one and pursues a peaceful policy in the main," the MP said.
"We are a sovereign state and have the right to a normal development. If the EU does not want to help us it should not interfere in our internal affairs," Guminsky stressed. He drew attention to numerous problems existing within the EU itself. "Going the way of confrontation, pressure and blackmail leads nowhere and will not yield any positive results," Guminsky warned. He reminded of a joint statement made by the presidents of Russia and Belarus who declared that only a constructive dialogue devoid of pressure might yield a positive result.
On Tuesday official Minsk recalled its representative at EU and its ambassador to Poland in retaliation to the escalation of EU sanctions against Belarus. Minsk also imposed a ban on the admission of persons, who had initiated the EU sanctions against Belarus, in Belarus. The Belarusian leadership also suggested that the EU representative in Minsk and the Polish ambassador to Belarus should leave Belarus for consultations. The European Union made a decision to recall all the ambassadors of EU countries from Belarus in a tit-for-tat move.