{"id":200748,"date":"2026-08-21T11:03:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T08:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/200748\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T11:03:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T08:03:52","slug":"belarus-closes-its-embassy-in-finland-on-september-1","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/200748\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus closes its embassy in Finland on September 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

August<\/strong> 21, <\/strong>Pozirk<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong> Belarus closes its embassy in Helsinki on September 1, according to a government directive published on August 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The embassy was opened in December 2011, following the opening the Minsk office of the Finnish embassy in Lithuania. The Belarusian embassy, which is also accredited to Denmark, had been led by Ambassador Alaksiej Samasuje\u016d from 2018 to 2024. A new ambassador has not been appointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The embassy announced a \u201ctemporary suspension of operations\u201d in July 2026, advising Belarusians to seek consular services in Daugavpils or Stockholm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contacts of the embassy\u2019s staff have been removed from its website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finland, an EU member state, does not recognize Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka as legitimately elected president and supports Belarusian pro-democracy forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helsinki is among the contributors to the International Humanitarian Fund for Victims of Repression in Belarus. Belarusian opposition leader Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja meets with Finnish officials on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The closure comes amid the ongoing \u201coptimization\u201d of Belarus\u2019 diplomatic missions abroad, launched in 2021. Belarus has reduced its presence in several European countries while expanding the network of consulates in Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, Belarus shut down its embassy in Slovakia. It had operated without an ambassador since August 2020, when Ihar La\u0161\u010denia resigned after siding with post-election protesters. The mission was later reopened, with Andrej Dapkiunas appointed ambassador in October 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hungary is the only EU country represented in Minsk by an ambassador. The other member states downgraded their diplomatic presence in Belarus to charge d\u2019affaires following the 2020 presidential election, refusing to recognize \u0141uka\u0161enka as its winner and a legitimate president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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