G. Landsbergis: Lithuania would consider changing the name of Belarus



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Aware: 2021-01-10 08:55

Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabriel Landsbergis. Photo by Judita Grigelytė (VŽ).




Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says Lithuania is willing to consider changing the name of Belarus into the Lithuanian language if the Belarusians so wish.

The minister discussed the issue with Sviatlana Cichanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian opposition, on Friday.

According to the minister, the name of the state used by Lithuanians should reflect the fact that the name of the country “Belarus” means “White Russia”.

“The name we call our neighbor should not establish an understanding of Belarus as part of Russia during the occupation,” Landsberg told BNS.

“Belarus means ‘White Russia’, not Russia, and that should be reflected in the name we use. If the Belarusians so wish, we will be happy to consider this issue, as we have already changed the name from Georgia to Sacartwell. Of course, after receiving the request, we would also ask for the advice of linguists ”, he added.

VŽ announced that since the end of December, the name Sakartvelas has been officially legalized in Lithuania, it must be used on all official letters.
“Today Sakartvelas is already an official name,” Audrys Antanaitis, chairman of the State Commission for the Lithuanian Language (VLKK), confirmed to BNS.

The reproduction of information from the BNS news agency in the media and on websites without the written consent of the UAB “BNS” is prohibited.

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