PM demands fresh polls in Belarus

Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Wednesday said the 9 August presidential elections in Belarus did not meet the international criteria and demanded fresh elections to be held with the presence of international observers, said a government press release.

“The country’s elections did not meet the international criteria or the criteria of the OSCE and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) nor can they be considered free or fair. Any new elections should be held in accordance with agreed principles, including international election observation by the OSCE,” said Marin at a video conference of the European Council.

Members of the European Council at the conference expressed their strong support for a peaceful democratic development in Belarus.

The EU leaders urged the Belarus government to engage in genuine political dialogue with the opposition in order to deescalate the crisis.

At their meeting, the EU leaders strongly emphasised the bloc’s demand to avoid the use of force and to respect citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms.

“We must strongly urge the Belarus authorities to avoid the use of violence and to release the political prisoners arrested during demonstrations and those who were previously imprisoned,” said Marin.

In Finland’s view, the EU is justified in imposing targeted, legally warranted sanctions on those responsible for orchestrating electoral fraud and for perpetrating in violence against peaceful demonstrators.

“It is also important to maintain dialogue with Belarus. The EU must strengthen its support for Belarus civil society, including youth and independent media. The situation must be resolved in a way that respects the will of the Belarus people,” she added.

The European Council also briefly discussed the situations in the eastern Mediterranean region and in Mali.