Swedish chargé d'affaires a.i. arrives in Minsk

The new head of the Swedish Embassy in Belarus, minister Martin Åberg, has been accredited in Belarus and has begun his duties as charge d'affaires a.i.

Martin Åberg had worked as Deputy Head of Mission at the Swedish Embassy in Moscow, the website of the Swedish Embassy informs.

The Embassy will remain closed for visitors until autumn due to the limited staff and the summer holidays. Swedish citizens can apply for consular assistance to other EU embassies. Visas to Sweden will still be granted by the Embassy of Estonia in Minsk.

The Swedish Embassy in Minsk was closed after Swedish citizens had organised an unsanctioned flight to Belarus with a free speech performance.

On August 1, 2012, ambassador Stefan Eriksson was informed by the Belarusian authorities that his accreditation wouldn't be prolonged. The diplomat was accused of carrying our destructive activity.

The Swedish authorities said in response that Belarus's new ambassador would not be allowed to take up his post and recommended two officers of the Belarusian embassy to leave Stockholm.

On August 8, the Belarusian MFA recalled the staff of the country's embassy in Stockholm. Sweden was recommended to take the same measures and recall all country's diplomats from Minsk.