Belarusian embassy: List of blacklisted Estonians is 'modest'
The Belarusian embassy in Tallinn has said that list of Estonians subject to the entry ban has not been made public.
Commenting after Hanno Pevkur, first deputy speaker of the Estonian parliament and president of the Estonian Volleyball Federation, was denied entry to Belarus, Yuri Bulavko, adviser at the Belarusian embassy said: "We inform that the list of the persons who are not welcome in Belarus is not public. We will not comment on relevant information regarding personal data and the prohibition on entry to Belarus."
"At the same time, we would like to note that the number of Estonians who are not welcome in Belarus is significantly more modest than the number of Belarusians who cannot visit Estonia," Bulavko said.
Postimees reported earlier on Thursday that Pevkur was unable to travel to the Belarus capital Minsk to be present at a match of the Estonian women's volleyball team after it was revealed at the airport that Belarus has imposed an entry ban on the Estonian politician.
"It must be acknowledged that the wish to be present and watch the volleyball women's national team play in Minsk ended before it could begin," Pevkur wrote on social media. "Namely, it turned out at the airport that the Belarusian state had imposed an entry ban on me, which I was not notified of, and because of which I was not allowed on the plane," he said.
The Belarusian Volleyball Association had sent an official invitation to Pevkur, confirmed also by the minister of sport.
"When someone has been blacklisted, my logic says that the person should be informed about it," Pevkur said.
Pevkur was also one of the members of the Riigikogu who in last August signed a statement in support of democracy in Belarus.
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Editor: Helen Wright