“Given our friendship” – wrote the Hungarian foreign minister to his Belarussian counterpart

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has written to his Belarussian counterpart on behalf of the Catholic Archbishop of Minsk, Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, who was stopped from entering the country from Poland on August 31.

In a statement commenting on the letter he wrote in English to Vladimir Makei, posted on Facebook on Sunday, Szijjarto said:

“Given our friendship, I feel at ease writing to my counterpart …

in view of protecting Christian values that the world needs now more than ever.”

The minister said he had known the metropolitan archbishop of Minsk-Mogilev for a long time. “I’m glad to noted we have a good relationship and we had a lively conversation when he received me at The Church of Saints Simon and Helena,” he said in his Facebook comments.

In the letter, Szijjarto said

Hungary wanted to maintain good relations with Belarus politically and economically,

as well as in cultural and religious life.

The minister said he strongly believed that Kondrusiewicz sought “a peaceful solution” without harbouring any political ulterior motives.

Alexander Lukashenko has accused the Catholic Church of backing the opposition in anti-government protests. He accused Kondrusiewicz of having a “specific mission” in returning from Poland.

Source: MTI