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Linas Linkevicius appointed as Lithuanian new ambassador to Belarus

Linas Linkevicius, a former Lithuanian defense minister, has been appointed as the Baltic state's new ambassador to Belarus, said a spokesperson for the Lithuanian embassy in Minsk on Thursday.

It is not yet known when the 51-year-old Linkevicius, who served as Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius’ special envoy prior to the appointment, will arrive in Belarus to take up his new post, said the spokesperson.

According to Lithuanian media, the new ambassador is expected to arrive in the country in the latter half of July.

Mr. Linkevicius will replace Edminas Bagdonas, who will leave Minsk next week after serving as Lithuanian ambassador to Belarus since 2007. Mr. Bagdonas will step down from the post because of the expiration of his term.

A member of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, Mr. Linkevicius served as minister of national defense twice: from 1993 to 1996 and from 2000 to 2004. Between the two appointments, he served as ambassador and head of Lithuania’s Mission to NATO and the Western European Union (WEU). //BelaPAN