HS: Belarus to close its embassy in Finland

Domestic

Belarus will close its embassy in Helsinki at the end of August, Helsingin Sanomat reported, citing a decision by the Belarusian government and confirmation from Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The closure ends an embassy presence established in Finland in 2011 and comes as Minsk restructures its network of diplomatic missions abroad. Finland has no embassy in Belarus, though the Finnish foreign ministry maintains a liaison office in Minsk.

The Belarusian Council of Ministers has revoked the decision that established the Helsinki embassy. Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin signed the government order, according to the Belarusian state register.

Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs told HS that Belarus had notified Finnish authorities that the mission would close from 30 August. The closure takes effect on 1 September.