Swedish Minister for MFA: Belarus state media started campaign of slander against Sweden

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt reacted in his Twitter on propaganda stories from the pro-government TV channels Belarus-1 and ONT on alleged "subversive activities" of Swedish Ambassador Stefan Eriksson in Belarus

Sergei Martynov, head of Belarusian Foreign Ministry, and Sergei Musienko, head of the Analytical Center called EcooMm, "explained" why Ambassador Eiriksson was expelled from Belarus.

According to Musienko, Ambassador of Sweden, "tried to quarrel Sweden with Belarus, to freeze relations, to inflict maximum damage to the country that opened its doors to him", Besides, the diplomat, in Musienko's words "repeatedly and personally passed instructions and money to radical groups and extremists, who prepared military action against Belarus similar to Arab Spring."

"Belarus state media has now started a campaign of slander against Sweden and our Ambassador. Rubbish from rubbish," Carl Bildt commented on the stories of Belarusian TV.

The fact that the Belarusian authorities refused to extend the accreditation to Stefan Eriksson appeared in media on August 3. The "unmasking" stories were shown Belarusians on the evening of the same day. Apparently, they were prepared in advance.

The forced departure of the ambassador from Belarus was preceded by a so-called "teddy scandal."

On July 4, the light airplane with a Swedish crew on board illegally crossed the Belarusian border, and dropped teddy bears over Ivyanets and Minsk with notes reminding the Belarusian authorities to respect democratic rights and freedoms.

The victims of "Teddy bear troopers" are Ihar Rachkowski, chairman of the State Border Committee, and Dzmitry Pakhmelkin, chief of the Air and Air Defense Force. They were fired by Lukashenka on July 31. A number of senior security officials have also received reprimands. Photographer Anton Suryapin and realtor Sergei Basharimov have being held in the KGB detention center for almost a month.