Swedish politicians call to use name “Belarus” officially

The Liberal People's Party issued the appropriate appeal to the government and society.

The statement made up by party activist Birgitta Ohlsson, responsible for foreign affairs, says “it’s time to change the name of the last dictatorship in Europe. It is usually called Vitryssland in Swedish, not Belarus,” Radio Svaboda reports.

“The question arises: how can we consider problems of democratic Belarus when only few Swedes know about the country, and many people think it is a part of Russia?” the politician asks.

Birgitta Ohlsson addresses this question to the Swedish MFA and Swedish Radio first of all. In the first case it demanded to change the name Vitryssland to Belarus. In the second case the matter is in the decision of SR International to close broadcasting in Belarusian and broadcast programme in Russian to Belarusian audience.

As the statement of Birgitta Ohlsson says, “While the Swedish government stands for democracy in Belarus, the Swedish Radio seems to go against the government. From September 1, SR International broadcasting its democratic programmes to people of Europe stops broadcasting in Belarusian. Does the SR administration think broadcasting in Russian can perform its function for those whose native language in Belarusian? Many Belarusians don’t associate the Russian language, which was dominating in Belarus in the Soviet time, with democracy,” Swedish politician Birgitta Ohlsson thinks.