19 Jan 2023 13:30

Minsk regrets U.S.' decision to restrict visas for Belarusian officials, vows to retaliate

MINSK. Jan 19 (Interfax) - The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has dismissed the visa restrictions imposed by the United States on Belarusian officials as interference in Belarus's internal affairs and has promised to retaliate.

"We regard this decision as interference in the internal affairs of our sovereign state, as an attempt to exert pressure on its judicial system. It is only regrettable that American diplomats, who are expected to be engaged in looking for compromises, can never stop and continue to spin the spiral of escalation. Of course, we will have to react to this short-sighted and erroneous step," Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anatoly Glaz said. His remarks have been published on the ministry's website.

"It is even more regrettable that the U.S. Department of State lacks any more or less knowledgeable specialists on Belarus who could inform their leadership about the real situation in our country, what makes up the life of the Belarusian people live and who they support. On the other hand, where can they get such specialists from if the American embassy has been absent from Minsk for almost a year?" he said.

The U.S. Department of State imposed visa restrictions of 25 Belarusian officials earlier this month.