EU rejects election results in Belarus

MEPs do not recognize the results of the presidential election in Belarus and consider Alexander Lukashenko undesirable in the European Union, Report says, citing a joint statement of the parties in the European Parliament.

“The August 9 presidential election was neither free nor fair. Accurate information says that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya won,” the statement said.

The Parliament also called on Russia not to interfere in the situation in Belarus and EU member states to resist all Russian activities in this direction.

Belarus held presidential elections on August 9. According to the final results, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won the country’s most popular vote held years later for the sixth time. As a result, peaceful protests began in several parts of the country. Thousands of people were detained, while others injured in clashes with police. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Lukashenko’s main rival from the opposition, urged the security forces not to apply force against the people. CEC Chairwoman Lidiya Yermoshina was evacuated from the Government House amid protests. Two days after the election, Tikhanovskaya left the country for security reasons and turned to Lithuania.