The street where the Belarus Embassy in Bucharest is located could be renamed after journalist Roman Protasevich, detained in Minsk after a Ryanair flight heading for Vilnius was diverted to Belarus on May 23.

Clotilde Armand, the mayor of District 1, wrote in a Facebook post that she backs such a measure and she will propose it to the Bucharest City Hall. The proposal was initially made by Andrei Oișteanu, a professor at the University of Bucharest. 

"We live in a European state, and president Alexander Lukashenko's act of terrorism to hijack a commercial flight between two EU & NATO member states cannot be left unpunished," Armand said.

Romania's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) issued a statement condemning Belarus authorities for forcing a flight carrying Belarusian opposition journalist Roman Protasevich to land in Minsk. MAE also said it supported the "need to urgently start an independent international investigation to determine the exact circumstances of this serious incident."

(Photo: Ilona Andrei/ Inquam Photos)

simona@romania-insider.com