EU will not recognise Lukashenko’s re-election, will sanction those behind protest crackdown

Issued on: 19/08/2020 - 16:00Modified: 19/08/2020 - 16:11

"There is no doubt that there were massive rule violations in the election," Merkel told reporters in Berlin after an emergency video summit with EU leaders. "The election was neither free nor fair. And that's why the result of the election cannot be recognised." She added: "We stand with the peaceful demonstrators."

"The EU will impose shortly sanctions on a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence, repression and election fraud," Michel added.

President Alexander Lukashenko, who has run Belarus for 26 years, is facing massive protests after winning 80% of the vote in elections that some sectors of the population believe were rigged.

Western officials are trying to head off an escalation along the lines of the crisis in Ukraine six years ago, when a violent crackdown by a pro-Russian leader led to his downfall in a popular uprising, followed by a Russian military intervention and Europe's deadliest ongoing conflict.

"Violence has to stop and a peaceful and inclusive dialogue has to be launched. The leadership of #Belarus must reflect the will of the people," Michel, the EU summit chairman, wrote in a tweet announcing the start of the video summit, adding that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Macron calls for ‘calm and dialogue’

Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke to Putin ahead of the EU summit, in light of Russia's close economic and military ties to Belarus.

Merkel told Putin that authorities in Minsk must "enter into a national dialogue with the opposition and society to overcome the crisis", while Macron urged the Russian leader to foster "calm and dialogue".

In Kremlin readouts of the two calls, Putin emphasised that interfering in Belarus and putting pressure on its authorities would be "unacceptable".

EU leaders’ diplomatic efforts come as Lukashenko ordered his police on Wednesday to put down protests in the capital Minsk, signalling an escalation after a week and a half of mass demonstrations against his rule.

"There should no longer be any disorder in Minsk of any kind," Lukashenko said in remarks reported by the official Belta news agency. "People are tired. People demand peace and quiet."

He ordered the border to be tightened to prevent an influx of "fighters and arms". Workers at state media who have quit in protest against the government's policies would not be rehired, he said.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)