BRUSSELS — The European Union has denounced the recent elections in Belarus as illegitimate and is considering further sanctions on the country. The elections were conducted in a manner that almost guaranteed another term for the 70-year-old authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for over 30 years.
In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and the EU enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, expressed their concerns, stating that “today’s sham election in Belarus has been neither free, nor fair.” They highlighted the ongoing repression of human rights, restrictions on political engagement, and limited access to independent media, all of which have undermined the credibility of the electoral process in Belarus.
The EU officials called on the Belarusian government to release political prisoners, estimating that there are more than 1,000 individuals detained, including a staff member from the EU delegation situated in the capital, Minsk. They noted that the late invitation extended to observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe deliberated just ten days prior to the election hampered their ability to effectively monitor the electoral proceedings.
Kallas and Kos also mentioned that due to the Belarusian regime’s involvement in Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and its hybrid attacks on neighboring countries, the EU intends to continue implementing targeted and restrictive measures against the Belarusian government. Details regarding potential new sanctions have not been disclosed, nor has any timeline been provided.
In a separate engagement, Kallas, along with several EU foreign ministers, is expected to meet with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a prominent leader of the Belarusian opposition, for an informal dinner in Brussels on Sunday night.
