Łukašenka, in his congratulatory msg, accuses Norway of violating rights of ordinary Belarusians

May 17, BPN. The Norwegian authorities’ support of Western sanctions against Belarus “violates the rights of ordinary Belarusians,” Alaksandr Łukašenka has said in his congratulatory message on Norway’s Constitution Day.

Norway “consistently expanded cooperation with Belarus, has been a good friend and reliable partner” in recent decades, his press office cited the message. Łukašenka also praised the “worthy contribution to world food security” by food companies from Norway and Belarus.

At the same time, the message stressed that sanctions on Belarusian fertilizers threaten to starve millions of people all over the world.

Belarus “strives to maintain friendly relations” between Belarusians and Norwegians despite the difficult political climate in the region, and “is always open to an equal mutually respectful dialogue,” it noted.

In 2021, the European Union, United States, UK and Canada imposed sanctions on Belarusian potash giant Belaruskali. In January 2022, Yara, a Norwegian chemical company, suspended cooperation with Belaruskali because of Western sanctions.