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“In the future, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will use the name ‘Belarus’ instead of ‘Hviderusland’,” wrote representatives of the ministry on the social network Twitter.
Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod commented on the decision: “It is time that we use a term that is acceptable to Belarusian civil society and people.”
Last October, the Belarusian opposition leader, Sviatlana Cichanouskaja, visited Denmark. During a meeting with her, Mr. Kofod pointed out that Copenhagen was creating a New Democracy Foundation, which was intended, among other things, to support Belarusian civil society.
Mr. Cichanouskaja also later met with Danish Prime Minister Mete Frederiksen, representatives of Danish NGOs and trade unions.
Since August 9, there have been unprecedented protests in Belarus over the presidential elections, announced by Aliaksandr Lukashenko, who has ruled the country since 1994. The protesters are demanding his resignation, the release of political prisoners and the holding of new elections.
Lukashenko’s main rival, Cichanouskaya, ran for her husband, Siarhei, after authorities prevented him from running for president and arrested him. According to official results, it was ranked second and received more than 10 percent. voter support.
The opposition and western democracies see the elections as rigged, and the real winner is the politician Cichanouskaya.
The question of the Lithuanian name of Belarus
At the time, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, taking into account a similar request from S. Cichanouskaja, in January to the State Lithuanian Language Commission (VLKK) on the possibility of changing the official name of Belarus. The head of diplomacy said he wanted to start a discussion between historians and linguists that is “meaningful and contributes to the formation of the self-awareness of the Belarusian people.”
In a letter, S. Cichanouskaja asked the Minister to change the Lithuanian name of Belarus to a form closer to the country “Belarus”, saying that such a decision by Lithuania would express respect for the sovereignty of the neighboring state and “would support the linguistic and cultural identity. of the Belarusian people “.
However, VLKK President Audrys Antanaitis said that he does not see any possibility of considering changing the name of Belarus due to the situation in this country, but would not rule it out after A. Lukashenko’s regime change.
He said the commission “strongly supports the Belarusian people fighting for freedom” but is wary of “things that depend on political circumstances” because the state itself is not formally requesting a name change.
“There would be many questions, first of all, and because Ukraine is Red Russia, Russia is Black Russia. So the answer is why do we only change one name. And yet the names of the states are not a policy currency. It is possible that after the fall of this bandit Lukashenko, Belarus will ask us to change his name, just as Sakartvel did, ”said the head of the VLKK.
Antanaitis also said that he understood that this was requested by the opposition leader and “Belarusian president-elect” Sviatlana Cichanouskaya, but according to him, this could set a dangerous precedent.
“There may be many states whose opposition leaders or even leaders would ask for a name change, but it would still be difficult. I understand that Sviatlana is the president-elect. But maybe we will wait for the situation to calm down,” he said.
Currently there are two (traditional) short forms of the Belarusian name: Belarus and Gudia.
A year and a half ago, at the request of the then Foreign Ministry, the VLKK had already approved an alternative name for Georgia: Sakartwell.
At the end of December 2020, the Sakartvel name was officially announced in Lithuania.
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