Lukashenko's disputed victory: EU and opposition denounce poll
As reported by the AFP agency, Alexander Lukashenko received 87.6 per cent of the votes in the presidential elections. These are the results of the state exit poll. Sunday's elections are not considered democratic by the Belarusian opposition and the West. Previous ones have also been heavily criticised on the international stage. "The situation is clear for us. We consider the elections of August 9 fraudulent. We don’t recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a statement issued on behalf of the EU, pointing to the "falsified results" of the elections on 9 August 2020.
The elections were held without alternative independent candidates against Lukashenko, independent media, and with repressions by the authorities, including against the families of opposition members.
Let's emphasise that the opposition calls them "non-elections" because there were no real opponents or chances for a democratic process. Besides Lukashenko, five candidates entered the race. However, they all played a puppet role in it.
Lukashenko has been ruling Belarus uninterrupted for 31 years. Before Sunday's "elections," he was confident of another victory.
Harsh reaction from Tsikhanouskaya
"If the dictator thought his sham 'elections' would give him legitimacy, he was very wrong. The democratic world stands united in rejecting this farce and supporting Belarusians in our call for freedom. These are not elections but a 'special operation' to illegally cling to power. Lukashenka, propped up by Putin, holds 9 million Belarusians hostage, drags us into war, and betrays our sovereignty. We will never accept him. He does not represent Belarus. The regime must end its repressions, release political prisoners, and be held accountable for its crimes. Belarusians will prevail!" wrote Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
More information will be provided shortly.
