Belarus top diplomat, Vatican envoy meet amid persecution of Catholic priests

November 25, BPN. Belarusian Foreign Minister Uładzimir Makiej and the Vatican’s envoy, Archbishop Ante Jozić, have met in Minsk.

The 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Belarus and the Holy See, cooperation between the Vatican and Minsk as well as the “Roman Catholic Church’s current situation in Belarus” were the main topics of the conversation, the foreign ministry said.

The parties “reaffirmed their intention to strengthen interfaith dialogue, intensify cooperation in various fields to achieve further positive dynamics of interaction,” it said.

The last time Belarus’ top diplomat and the apostolic nuncio met was on July 7.

The relationship between the state and the Catholic Church has become more complicated after the 2020 disputed presidential election, as many Catholic priests and believers openly opposed the brutal crackdown on protests.

Over the past two years, some priests have gone through politically-motivated arrests and trials. Some were forced to leave Belarus.