Belarusian MFA angry at Hungarian ambassador’s adherence to principles

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is “particularly surprised” at a few remarks of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Hungary Ferenz Kontra regarding the political and economic situation in Belarus.

News agency Interfax-Zapad learnt this from the Belarusian MFA press service.

“We are particularly surprised, if not to say more, at a few remarks of the Head of the Hungarian diplomatic mission in Minsk over the current processes in our country and a number of aspects of bilateral relationship that we take as a personal view of Mr.Kontra. Many of those remarks are biased and clearly diverge from a positive and friendly context of Belarus-Hungary co-operation,” Andrei Papou, the MFA spokesman, said.

The MFA noted: “We are sincerely confident that the Hungarian side is still interested in developing the whole spectrum of co-operation with Belarus on the basis of mutual respect and interest.”

The MFA spokesman emphasized that Belarus considers Hungary as a critical and prospective partner in the EU.

As we have reported earlier, Ferenz Kontra said at a press conference there was a climate of mistrust in the relations between Belarus and the European Union. He also criticized attitude of the law enforcement bodies toward participants of peaceful street events and journalists, covering such events.

“Unfortunately, we have an impression that actions and words of the Belarusian authorities not always fit together,” the diplomat stated.

“It often happens at rallies that militia officers beat young people, peaceful demonstrators. Questions arise: what should be taken into account – words or what TV cameras show?” Kontra said.

When international delegations come in Belarus and estimate the situation with the mass media, officials told them: it’s all right, the ambassador noted.

“When people in civvies close lenses of photo and TV cameras, it may mean that they don’t want the cameras to be here,” Kontra thinks. “If journalists are hindered to perform their duties, these people are not interested in good ties between our countries.”