European Union (EU) leaders have rejected the re-election of embattled Belarus president, Alexander Lukashenko, citing allegations of election rigging from opposition and observers, as well as the country’s response to protests that have led to the death of at least two demonstrators.
At an emergency summit held on Wednesday, the EU decided that it did not recognise the election results which placed Lukashenko as the landslide winner, revealing that it will shortly impose sanctions on those who were involved in election fraud and repression of protesters.
“What we have witnessed in Belarus is not acceptable. The August 9 elections were neither free nor fair,” European Council President Charles Michel said in an invitation letter to the 27 leaders establishing the virtual meeting. “Our message is very clear: Stop the violence!”
After the summit, he told reporters that the sanctions will target a “substantial number of individuals” and a list of names will be released in due course. Sanctions against Lukashenko will be “deliberated,” upon he added, giving no further details.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, also called for dialogue and for a peaceful transition of power. “Belarus must find its own path, that must happen via dialogue in the country and there must be no intervention from outside,” she said after the videoconference of leaders.
The EU also said it will reroute 53 million Euros earmarked for Belarus from the government toward civil society, victims of the state crackdown, and the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Lukashenko Fires Back
Reacting to the Union’s decision, President Lukashenko advised the Union leaders to focus on their individual countries and the domestic challenges they are facing.
“I would just give them a piece of advice: Instead of pointing the finger at us, they should discuss the yellow vests movement in France, the terrible riots in the USA,” he said, according to Belta, the national news agency.
Belarus Opposition Calls for Annulment
Lukashenko’s biggest opposition, the housewife turned presidential aspirant, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, called on the EU to reject the results from the elections as Lukashenko has “lost all legitimacy” in Belarus.
Speaking from Lithuania, where she fled to after protests intensified, Tsikhanouskaya, also called on the Union to support the “awakening of Belarus,” and to respect the choice of the Belarusian people.
