Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Bid to rename EU streets with a Belarusian embassy after journalist

Bid to rename EU streets with a Belarusian embassy after journalist

If enacted, it would likely mean Belarus' embassies having Roman Protasevich Street on all their correspondence.

EU countries are being urged to join a campaign taking root in Romania's capital to rename streets outside Belarusian embassies after the dissident journalist Roman Protasevich.

Protasevich was arrested on Sunday after his Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Minsk.

Belarus says it was due to a security threat but critics claim it was a ruse to detain Protasevich and silence critics of the country's long-time president Alexander Lukashenko.

In a bid to show opposition to the move, a campaign began in Bucharest to rename streets hosting a Belarus embassy after Protasevich.

Now, in a letter addressed to EU leaders, eight MEPs, led by Romanian Dacian Ciolos, chairman of the Renew Europe group and MEP Ramona Strugariu, a member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, urged countries to follow Bucharest's lead.

The campaign was initially put forward by University of Bucharest professor, Andrei Oisteanu, and is now being championed by Clotilde Armand, mayor of Bucharest’s first district, where the Belarusian embassy is located.

If enacted, it would likely mean Belarus' embassies having Roman Protasevich Street on all their correspondence.

Speaking with Euronews on Friday, Armand said she believed renaming the street outside Belarus's embassy would send a clear message to Lukashenko's regime that "human rights abuses" will not be tolerated by the international community.

"We cannot close our eyes to human rights abuses," she said. "We need to do what is in our power to say that we have our eyes open and that we do not accept acts of terrorism and of human rights abuses".

"It is a peaceful way to express...our protest and our solidarity," said the mayor.



Armand said she is already putting forward a proposal to change the name of the street outside the Belarusian embassy to "Roman Protasevich Street".

If all goes according to plan, she said, the street name could be changed within a month's time.

The effort still needs city approval. However, Armand said that changing the street name outside the embassy could prove easier than usual, given that it is not a residential street.

"It is usually difficult to change names of streets because you have many citizens living on those streets and they protest as they don't want to have their identity cards changed," she said.

However, Armand said, in this case "when I checked, I realised this is something that is feasible because you don't have anybody living there".

"This is something which is feasible and which is meaningful. it is something I can do," she said.

The idea to push other EU member states to do the same came from MEP Ramona Strugariu, who told Euronews she was inspired when she heard of Armand's campaign.

"I saw her initiative and I said, well, this is a great idea and we should take it to the next level, so what if we literally write to all of the member states with a call to support this idea with their mayors of their capitals, in a gesture of solidarity with a very powerful message," she said.

"It was born from the civil society and then it gained momentum everywhere," she said, praising Oisteanu for originally coming up with the idea.

The message the initiative would send, Strugariu said, "is simple: Freedom".

"I think that [Protasevich's] name...is the symbol of freedom, so I think that it will be everywhere and it will literally send the idea of freedom, whether it is freedom of expression or freedom in a very broad sense," she said. "I thought it would simply be beautiful to do it in the European way and that it would send this message of freedom and also help save [Protasevich's] life."

Honouring Protasevich, she said would send "the message that we truly care about his life and the lives of all of the people subject to oppression in Belarus. This strong message that is sent this way also could contribute to saving [others'] lives and empowering people to continue their fight for freedom."

Armand said she is "very happy" to see the initiative gain support from members of the European Parliament.

"I am very happy that my colleagues from Renew have adopted this point of view as well," she said.

"It is a peaceful way of protesting and it is something that can have an impact because...every day [Belarus will be] reminded of what they have done," Armand said.

Euronews has contacted the Belarusian embassy in Romania for comment.

Despite widespread condemnation from the international community, Lukashenko has remained defiant over Protasevich's arrest.

Addressing parliament on Wednesday, he appeared to double down on claims that Sunday's Ryanair flight diversion had been forced out of concerns of a potential bomb threat, asserting that his regime had only sought to protect people.

The claim has been largely dismissed, however, with leaders around the world accusing Belarus of having plotted the ruse to arrest Protasevich.

On Thursday, the dissident journalist's parents pleaded for the international community to do more to stop Lukashenko's "evil" tactics and help free their son.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×