You're reading: Foreign Ministry: Belarus’ denial of visas to OSCE election monitors not related to elections

Minsk - Belarus' decision to deny entry visas to two members of the OSCE election observation mission to monitor parliamentary elections slated in Belarus for Sept. 23 is not related to the elections as such, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said.

“These two people are foreigners whose entry to the territory of the
Republic of Belarus is unwelcome. This has absolutely no relation to the
observation of the elections,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei
Savinykh told Interfax.

“We are determined to maintain constructive interaction with the OSCE mission,” he said.

“Belarus will do all it can so that the elections pass openly and in full compliance with national law,” he said.

It was reported earlier that Belarus had denied visas to two OSCE monitors from Germany and Lithuania.

Matteo Mecacci, a special coordinator leading the OSCE short-term
election observation in Belarus, said in a statement: “I am disappointed
to hear that two members of our delegation were not allowed to enter
Belarus to observe the upcoming parliamentary elections.”

“I hope to receive an exhaustive explanation on this issue from the
[Belarusian] authorities to make sure that the atmosphere for the
upcoming Election Observation Mission will remain calm and so that our
work can continue without restrictions or limitations, as stated in our
invitation to observe the elections,” Mecacci said.