Belarus Summons Armenian Chargé Over “Unfriendly” Remarks

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry did not specify the exact measures it was referring to, but the move followed criticism from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ruslan Varankov regarding remarks made by Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan. Simonyan had said, “Armenia should not become a [province] and be governed the way Belarus is,” a statement interpreted in Minsk as a political provocation.

In response, Varankov said, “the statements by the speaker of the Armenian Parliament are nothing more than electioneering populism and a desperate attempt to distract voters from the country’s dire domestic problems.” He added, “with poverty topping 40%, unemployment soaring, and entire regions stagnating, it is easiest to designate an external adversary and resort to offensive labels. This cynical approach is regrettable.”

He also stressed that “Belarusians and Armenians are bound by strong historical ties,” and expressed hope that Armenia’s leadership would “return to constructive dialogue.”

Simonyan rejected the criticism, saying, “I believe it is the disrespectful attitude toward Armenia, a partner in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), and toward Armenian statehood that damages relations.” He also added, “for Armenia, human rights and freedoms are among the highest values, and I think every state chooses its own model. We have chosen the path of democratisation.”

Earlier this week, over 30 European leaders gathered for the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, signaling a major geopolitical shift in the South Caucasus.

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