Belarus Opposition Urges EU To Reject Vote as Leaders Hold Emergency Talks

[Rogue Valley]

Belarus Opposition Urges EU To Reject Vote as Leaders Hold Emergency Talks

Election victor Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled to Lithuania.

8/19/20
The exiled head of Belarus's opposition urged European leaders to reject President Alexander Lukashenko's "fraudulent" re-election on Wednesday as the EU held an emergency summit on the country's political crisis. The European Council convened to discuss the fallout from the vote that saw security services in ex-Soviet Belarus brutally disperse peaceful demonstrators demanding that their authoritarian leader resign. Protesters gathered for a 10th night of demonstrations on Tuesday, with thousands rallying in central Minsk waving the red-and-white flags of the opposition and calling on Lukashenko to step down. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a 37-year-old political novice who fled to neighboring Lithuania after claiming victory in the vote, called on EU leaders "not to recognize these fraudulent elections." "Lukashenko has lost all legitimacy in the eyes of our nation and the world," she said in the video appeal. As the EU meeting began, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the bloc "cannot accept the result of these elections" called for dialogue to find "a solution that reflects the vote of the people."

Europe's longest-serving leader, Lukashenko has resisted calls to resign or hold new elections. On Tuesday, he said the opposition was planning to seize power and vowed to take "adequate measures" in response. Lukashenko this week handed out awards to some 300 members his security services for "impeccable service" after rights groups and Western leaders denounced police violence. Factory workers at state-run enterprises answered the opposition's calls to strike in an unprecedented display of anger towards the Belarusian leader among a traditionally loyal segment of the population. Lukashenko on Wednesday thanked workers who didn't join the strikes and accused the West of funding the opposition. He said Western countries were levying allegations against Belarus to "distract from the problems" in their own countries. Activists on social media said the authorities were exerting enormous pressure on employees at state-run enterprises to refuse to strike, leading to a sharp drop in the numbers of protesters joining the walkouts. Police on Wednesday also blocked the entrance to the National Academy Theatre in Minsk after staff resigned en masse to protest the forced removal of director and former culture minister Pavel Latushko, who publicly called for new elections.

Ms. Tikhanovskaya, who is an English teacher/translator, addresses the European Council in English.....

[video=youtube;M-SWGYQZN1g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?M-SWGYQZN1g[/video]

Related: EU Leaders Urge Putin to Push for Talks in Belarus Over Disputed Vote

 

[Chagos]

Done.

EU rejects Belarus election result, vows quick sanctions | News | DW | 19.08.2020

 

[Ringo Stalin]

Do I understand correctly that strikes in Belarus take place exclusively at state-owned enterprises? Which Lukashenko did not allow to privatize? But those who are able to grab them, would very much like to put a paw on them? For example, today's directors of these enterprises.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Do I understand correctly that strikes in Belarus take place exclusively at state-owned enterprises? Which Lukashenko did not allow to privatize? But those who are able to grab them, would very much like to put a paw on them? For example, today's directors of these enterprises.

I've never known you to understand anything correctly.