EU rejects Belarus election result, vows quick sanctions

August 19, 2020

EU leaders said on Wednesday they did not recognize the results of the disputed presidential elections in Belarus, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying the August 9 poll was “neither free nor fair.”

The EU had “no doubt that there were massive violations of procedure at the elections,” Merkel said following an emergency video conference. “And for this reason, the results of the elections cannot be recognized.”

The official EU statement following the leaders’ meeting read: “The EU has been following the developments in Belarus very closely and with increasing concern. The 9 August elections were neither free nor fair, therefore we do not recognize the results.”

The elections saw President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for 26 years, reelected for a sixth term in office. The election commission gave him 80% of the vote. Since the elections, the country has been in the grip of massive protests accusing the government of having rigged the election.

Read more: Is Belarus closer to the West or to Russia?

Alexander Lukashenko giving a speech (Getty Images/N. Petrov)

Lukashenko has ordered police to put down protests against his reelection

Imminent sanctions

European Council President Charles Michel said the EU stood “at the side of the Belarusian people” and that the bloc would “soon” impose the sanctions it had announced against a “substantial” number of officials because of election fraud and violence against the protesters. The sanctions are to include EU travel bans and asset freezes.

“The people of Belarus deserve better. They deserve the democratic right to choose their leaders and shape the future,” Michel said.

In 2016, the EU partially lifted previous sanctions imposed over Lukashenko’s human rights record.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the EU would give €53 million ($63 million) originally earmarked for the Belarusian government to civil society in the country, victims of the state’s crackdown on protesters, and the country’s efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Belarusian media reported on Wednesday that a third protester had died during a demonstration in the southwestern city of Brest.

Rejected mediation attempt

In her remarks to reporters, Merkel said she had offered to speak with Lukashenko by phone, but that he had not taken up the offer.

“Mr. Lukashenko rejected the telephone call, which I regret. You can mediate only when you are in touch with all sides,” she said.

Ahead of Wednesday’s summit, Sviatlana Tikhanouskaya, Lukashenko’s nearest rival in the election, had called on the EU “not to recognize these fraudulent elections.”

Belarus in crisis

Allegations of vote fraud

Alexander Lukashenko declared a landslide victory in presidential polls on August 9. According to the official count, the 65-year-old won 80% of the votes while his main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, got only 10%. Lukashenko’s opponents accuse him of rigging the vote to secure a sixth term after 26 years in power.

Belarus in crisis

Protests erupt

After the results were announced, Belarusians took to the streets to demand an election rerun monitored by independent observers. Security forces responded with a brutal crackdown. The violence, which Lukashenko blamed on foreign interference, was widely condemned internationally, prompting the EU to prepare sanctions against implicated Belarusian officials.

Belarus in crisis

Violent crackdown

In the first four days of protests, at least two people died and almost 7,000 were detained. But rather than peter out, rallies calling for Lukashenko’s resignation have grown. Thousands of protesters have joined daily marches demanding the release of political prisoners and an end to police violence.

Belarus in crisis

Nationwide movement

More than 100,000 people took part in a “March for Freedom” on August 16 — one of the biggest ever shows of opposition to Lukashenko’s rule. Protesters chanted “Leave!,” and waved the red and white historic Belarusian flag that has become a common sight at rallies. Lukashenko scrapped the flag when he came to power, and it has since become a symbol of opposition to him.

Belarus in crisis

‘I’m for Lukashenko’

Lukashenko’s supporters held a rally of their own on August 16, although their numbers were dwarfed by the opposition’s march. “I’m for Lukashenko,” 68-year-old supporter Alla Georgievna told Reuters. “I don’t understand why everyone has risen up against him. We get our pensions and salaries on time thanks to him.”

Belarus in crisis

Workers put down tools

Workers in state-owned industries, considered to be Lukashenko’s traditional support base, have started turning against him. Thousands of factory workers took part in walkouts after the opposition called a general strike. Footage from August 17 that was widely shared on social media showed workers at a Minsk tractor plant heckling Lukashenko with shouts of “Leave!” as he tried to give a speech.

Belarus in crisis

State media join strike

Several hundred journalists, camera operators and other employees at Belarusian state broadcaster BT also walked off the job. Local media said staff had issued demands urging management to end censorship and recognize the election results as invalid. During the strike, “Belarus 1” TV broadcast an empty studio with music playing the background.

Belarus in crisis

Opposition in exile

Soon after the protests began, opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania, citing threats to her safety. In exile, she has renewed calls for fresh elections and said she is “ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader.” Lukashenko, meanwhile, has conceded that new polls would be possible — but only after amending the constitution.