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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) granted on Friday, as a result of the decision of Minister Bogdan Aurescu, a new voluntary contribution for supporting the civil society and the independent press in Belarus, with a value of 100,000 Euro, namely a new voluntary contribution for the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, worth 20,000 Euro.
According to a press release sent by MAE to AGERPRES, the two contributions, totaling 120,000 Euro, were offered from the budget for international cooperation for development and humanitarian assistance for the year 2021. Contribution for supporting civil society and independent press in Belarus was granted, as well as in the case of last year's contribution, through the means of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) organization.
The decision of Minister Bogdan Aurescu comes after continuing consistent activity of Romanian diplomacy for supporting consolidation initiatives of democracy and ensuring the respect of human rights in Belarus, a reiterated support by the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs during the meeting in September 2021, with the leader of the Belarus opposition, Svetlana Tihanovskaia, on the sidelines of the 16th edition of the Strategic Forum in Bled reunion (Slovenia), the quoted source specifies.
During the year 2020, Romania has granted, through the decision of Minister Bogdan Aurescu, a first contribution of 100,000 Euro for financing the EED projects that target beneficiaries in Belarus. Furthermore, during the first part of this year there was a 15,000 Euro contribution transferred towards the International Responsibility Platform for Belarus, in order to support the efforts of documenting the serious human rights violation in Belarus, following the presidential elections of August 2020, according to the same source.
"Romania actively supports the initiatives meant to help in consolidating civil society and media independence in Belarus, which represents essential pillars for the democratic development of this state", the press release reads.
