TIRANA – The European Union said it did not recognize the results of Belarus elections and would shortly impose sanctions on those who were involved in electoral fraud and repression of protests, the European Council chief said on Wednesday as quoted by Reuters.
“The EU will impose shortly sanctions on a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence, repression and election fraud,” Charles Michel said at the end of an extraordinary summit of EU leaders called to discuss the bloc’s reaction to the disputed Aug. 9 elections in Belarus.
Unrest in Belarus further escalated Wednesday when Lukashenko ordered his police to suppress protests in the capital, Minsk, days after a severe crackdown on peaceful protesters that resulted in the deaths of at least two people, the injuring of hundreds of others and the detention of nearly 7,000 people.
“There should no longer be any disorder in Minsk of any kind,” the official Belta news agency reported Lukashenko as saying.
Unrest in Belarus further escalated Wednesday when Lukashenko ordered his police to suppress protests in the capital, Minsk, days after a severe crackdown on peaceful protesters that resulted in the deaths of at least two people, the injuring of hundreds of others and the detention of nearly 7,000 people.
“There should no longer be any disorder in Minsk of any kind,” the official Belta news agency reported Lukashenko as saying.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has offered military assistance to Lukashenko, warned German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday not to interfere in Belarusian affairs. Putin’s warning came as he spoke by phone with Merkel, Macron and Michel.
A political opponent of Lukashenko urged EU leaders before the emergency summit not to recognize the presidential election, declaring it was rigged in Lukashenko’s favor. Lukashenko denies the accusation, reported VoA on Wednesday.
Political opponent Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya issued the appeal from exile in neighboring Lithuania. “I call on you not to recognize these fraudulent elections,” Tsikhanouskaya said. “Mr. Lukashenko has lost all legitimacy in the eyes of our nation and the world.”
Tsikhanouskaya says she is the winner of the vote and has called for new elections under international supervision.
Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde has offered to visit Belarus as the incoming head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which frequently mediates disputes on the continent. Western nations and former states of the Soviet Union are members of the OSCE. /argumentum.al
