Joint statement by the States parties to the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State in connection with plans to suspend the membership of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in the Board of Trustees of the German Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future

The leadership of the German Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future plans to suspend the membership of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in the Board of Trustees of this organisation.

As it is known, this Foundation was established, inter alia, with the support of the Belarusian and Russian parties as a specialised structure for the benefit of victims of Nazism from the states of Central and Eastern Europe, primarily Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, as the territories of the USSR most affected by the Nazi occupation.

Under far-fetched pretexts, the Foundation questioned the further participation of Belarus and Russia in its activities, as Belarusian and Russian representatives allegedly endanger the implementation of the Foundation's statutory goals, its interests and reputation, and even threaten the safety of persons involved in the implementation of the Foundation's projects.

We regard this German-inspired fuss as disrespect for the countries and peoples affected by German fascism, the victims of Nazism and their descendants. In recent years, the Foundation's activities have been radically transformed and have acquired an explicit anti-Belarusian and anti-Russian character. Its original goals of promoting reconciliation and strengthening mutual understanding between peoples and supporting the surviving victims of the National Socialist regime have been completely devalued.

We strongly condemn these cynical, shameful actions by the German party, which are yet another confirmation of the historical revisionism and politicisation of the culture of memory that is progressing in the political elites of Germany.