EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell warned against the risk of Belarus becoming a “second Ukraine”.
Demonstrators against the government are protesting en masse in Minsk demanding the departure of President Alexander Lukashenko following his controversial re-election on August 9. (Sunday 23 August 2020)
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–The EU’s foreign minister, Josep Borrel, announced that he did not want to convert Belarus into a “second Ukraine”. (Sunday 23 August 2020)
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European Union foreign minister Josep Borell warned against the risk of Belarus becoming a “second Ukraine”, deeming it necessary to “deal” with President Alexander Lukashenko, in an interview published on Sunday by the Spanish daily “The country”.
The EU rejected the result of the presidential election of August 9 in Belarus, shaken by a protest movement after the disputed re-election of Alexander Lukashenko who, in power for 26 years, prides himself on Moscow’s support.
No “second Ukraine”
The European Union “does not intend to convert Belarus into a second Ukraine,” said Josep Borell, referring to the dispute with Russia after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
“The tension between Europe and Russia has been settled by gunfire, violence and a disintegration of Ukrainian territory which still lasts. The problem of Belarusians today is not to choose between Russia and Europe, it is to obtain freedom and democracy ”, he continued.
“Same situation”
Josep Borell stressed that it was necessary to continue the dialogue with President Lukashenko, comparing his situation to that of his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro, also facing a protest movement repressed by the authorities.
“Maduro and Lukashenko are in exactly the same situation. We do not recognize that they were legitimately elected. However, whether we like it or not, they control the government and we must continue to deal with them, although we do not recognize their democratic legitimacy ”, explained the head of European diplomacy.
New event
The Belarusian opposition called for another big demonstration on Sunday to keep up the pressure against the head of state, who has put the army on alert.
After the presidential election, several protests were put down by police, leaving at least three dead, dozens injured and more than 6,700 people arrested, many of whom reported beatings and torture in detention.
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