“The European Union stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus, and we do not accept impunity,” European Council President Charles Michel said after EU authorities held a virtual emergency summit. “We do not recognize the results provided by the Belarus authorities.”
The 27-nation bloc likewise threatened sanctions on “a significant number” of people linked to violence and election scams, Michel said, while decreasing to call anyone.WHO IS BELARUS PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO, ‘EUROPE’S LAST TOTALITARIAN ‘? In this Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020 file image Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko resolves his supporters gathered at Independent Square of Minsk, Belarus. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, File)Lukashenko, who has led the ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million given that 1994, declared triumph for a sixth term on Aug. 9, supposedly receiving 80 %of the vote. The opposition prospect– 37-year-old Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a previous English instructor who unified fractured opposition groups and drew tens of thousands to rally in her assistance– amassed only 10 %of votes in an election widely viewed as rigged.Since the outcomes, an “awakening of Belarus”has happened
on the streets of Minsk, the capital city, with extraordinary mass demonstrations entering their 11th day on Wednesday. Hundreds of countless individuals have ended up to protest, and workers at state-controlled companies also joined strikes this week.HAS BELARUS REACHED A TIPPING POINT? COUNTLESS PROTESTERS DON’T BUY ELECTION RESULT In this Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020 file image Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus.(AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, File )During the very first 4 days of demonstrations, more than 7,000 individuals were detained and hundreds more hurt with rubber bullets, stun grenades, and clubs. A minimum of 3 protesters have died.In an unproven video published to Twitter– which had nearly 1 million views– an unique kind of demonstration could be seen, with giant bouncing balls making their way down a street, among which appears to have the president’s face on it.German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said the elections “were neither reasonable nor complimentary and therefore one can not recognize the outcome,”while condemning the “brutal violence” versus peaceful protesters and calling on the routine to release any detainees. In this Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020 file photo Belarusian opposition fans rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus.( AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted:”
The people of #Belarus desire change. And they desire it now. They demand the release of all unlawfully apprehended individuals and the prosecution of
those accountable for authorities brutality. They desire democracy and new presidential elections. “”The EU stands with the people of Belarus,”she added.BELARUS PRESIDENT HECKLED BY FACTORY EMPLOYEES, SAYS THERE WILL BE NO BRAND-NEW ELECTION’UNTIL YOU ELIMINATE ME’Ahead of the virtual EU meeting on Wednesday, opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya launched a video
getting in touch with the EU to support the” awakening”
and not recognize the “deceptive elections”that have sparked the mass demonstrations. “Mr. Lukashenko has lost all the
legitimacy in the eyes of our nation and the world, “she stated. In this video grab offered by the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya campaign office by means of the Associated Press Tv, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, previous prospect for the governmental elections makes an address from Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020.( Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya project workplace vis
AP )On the other hand, Lukashenko blasted the EU ahead of the virtual conference and said its assistance of the demonstrations is”fomenting unrest.”Lukashenko bought his government to pass on “the official perspective”on the post-election protests to the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine and to “alert them– no need to be shy– about the responsibility for fomenting discontent.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov likewise implicated the EU of “efforts of direct interference”in Belarus’internal affairs.AMID BELARUS PROTESTS, LITHUANIA EYES AMERICAN SUPPORT:’THE US WAS ALWAYS A VOICE OF DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY’Some specialists think triggering unrest with Lukashenko and his associates might drive Belarus into the hands of Russia– which has actually apparently offered military assistance to Lukashenko if required; and others think Russia might end up intervening throughout the discontent. However, professionals likewise tend
to think Belarusians desire only to protect independence and aren’t looking for a relationship with the EU, Moscow or NATO.On the eve of the
conference, Michel had a half-hour telephone discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin to share the European bloc’s issue about election irregularities and the scale of the security crackdown and to impress upon him the right of the Belarusians to determine their own future, supposedly talking about methods to encourage talks in between the opposition and Lukashenko.The presidents of the Visegrad Four– the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia– also contacted Belarusian authorities to”break the ice for a political option, and to abide by the fundamental human rights and freedoms while refraining from the use of violence versus the serene demonstrators.”In a joint declaration, they prompted unnamed “foreign actors to refrain from actions that would weaken Belarus’independence and sovereignty. “On Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had actually said the U.S. is talking about Belarus ‘election results and subsequent demonstrations with the EU. The efforts of reaching out were to “try to assist as best we can the Belarusian individuals attain sovereignty and liberty,”he said in Warsaw while on a trip of main Europe, Reuters reported.CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP And the fairly little EU nation of Lithuania is playing a significant role as the demonstrations unfold by offering sanctuary to Tsikhanouskaya. Its Baltic next-door neighbors, Estonia and
Latvia, are also deeply involved in diplomatic efforts, as is Poland.Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has required brand-new elections to be held, and that the outcomes of the existing election “can’t be acknowledged.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.< a href= "https://www.foxnews.com/world/belarus-pro-democracy-protests-european-union-lukashenko" target="
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