EU rejects Belarus election result
MINSK: The European Union on Wednesday rejected the result of Belarus’ disputed presidential election even as the country’s leader Alexander Lukashenko ordered his security forces to prevent any further unrest.
Following an emergency video conference on the elections, European Council chief Charles
Michel said the EU would soon levy sanctions against a “substantial number” of people responsible for vote-rigging and violent suppression of protests in Belarus.
Despite many of the EU’S 27 leaders backing a new vote, the bloc held back from asking for fresh elections as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she tried and failed to get hold of President Lukashenko over phone.
Demonstrators have been flooding the streets of Belarusian cities in the wake of the August 9 election, calling on Lukashenko to step down after he claimed a sixth term with about 80% of the ballot that the opposition says was rigged.
On Wednesday, Lukashenko ordered the police to put down protests in the capital Minsk, signalling an escalation of tensions after days of mass protests.