The leaders of several European countries made a statement on the occasion of the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko as President of Belarus.

The authorities of Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark and the Baltic states announced that they did not recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate Belarusian leader.

According to the official representative of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany Steffen Seibert, the very fact that the inauguration ceremony was prepared in secret is indicative.

“Once again regarding the presidential elections on 9 August.

They, as we clearly said then, did not in any way meet the minimum requirements for democratic elections: they were neither fair nor free.

And therefore, as the chancellor said, we cannot recognize the results of these elections.

In accordance with this, Lukashenka also cannot claim democratic legitimacy after today's ceremony, ”Steffen Seibert said.

  • Steffen Seibert

  • Reuters

  • © Michael Kappeler / Pool

He also named the main requirements of Berlin.

The German side insists that the Belarusian authorities stop using violence against peaceful demonstrators, as well as that the bullying of political prisoners in prisons stops.

“The release of political prisoners is necessary, and a national dialogue is also needed.

Another way out of this crisis can hardly be found, ”the representative of the German government stressed.

Offset course

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius spoke more succinctly; the minister called Lukashenko a “former” president of Belarus.

“What a farce.

Fictitious elections.

Fictitious inauguration.

The former president of Belarus is not becoming less the former.

Just the opposite.

Its illegitimacy is a fact with all the ensuing consequences, ”Linkevičius wrote on Twitter.

Such a farce.

Forged elections.

Forged inauguration.

The former president of #Belarus does not become less former.

Quite the contrary.

His illegitimacy is a fact with all the consequences that this entails.

- Linas Linkevicius (@LinkeviciusL) September 23, 2020

A similar statement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgar Rinkevich.

According to him, the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko does not legitimize the falsification of the presidential elections in Belarus.

A similar statement was made on September 23 by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Ivan Korczok, as well as his Czech counterpart Tomáš Petříček.

“The elections in Belarus were neither free nor fair.

Thus, their outcome is illegitimate, and therefore today's inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko is also illegitimate.

The Czech Republic fully supports the civil society of Belarus.

Belarusians deserve freedom, ”the Czech minister wrote on Twitter.

In turn, the British Foreign Minister said that "Lukashenko's secret inauguration, which took place today in Minsk, further undermines his reputation."

Lukashenko's secret inauguration in Minsk today brings him further into disrepute.

His rigged election was a fraud on the Belarusian people.

- Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) September 23, 2020

He also spoke about Lukashenko's inauguration and the Polish Foreign Ministry.

The department reported that the president elected in non-democratic elections "cannot exercise power."

The Danish authorities are in solidarity with this point of view.

Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote on Twitter that Copenhagen does not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus.

The US also refused to recognize Lukashenko as the legally elected president.

The State Department "cannot consider Alexander Lukashenko the legally elected leader" of Belarus.

A representative of the American Foreign Ministry said this in an interview with RIA Novosti.

  • Inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko

  • RIA News

  • © Andrey Stasevich

At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities did not immediately decide on their position on the inauguration of the President of Belarus.

This was stated by the country's Foreign Ministry Dmitry Kuleba.

The minister drew attention to the fact that the ambassadors of foreign states were not present at the ceremony.

“As for the assessment of the inauguration and the political status of President Lukashenka, we will now urgently hold additional meetings and consultations in order to determine our position,” the minister said.

Later he wrote on his Twitter that Lukashenka's “inauguration” does not mean that he is recognized as the legitimate head of the Belarusian state. ”

At the same time, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice reported that the inauguration ceremony of the president took place without violations and in full compliance with the law.

“The inauguration of the President of the Republic of Belarus was carried out in full compliance with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and other legislation of the republic,” RIA Novosti quotes a message from the Ministry of Justice of Belarus.

Thus, the department commented on the allegations made in the media that the lack of a live television broadcast of the ceremony violated the law. 

This, like the presence of foreign ambassadors at the inauguration, is not a prerequisite, the Ministry of Justice explained. 

As Yuri Pochta, professor of the Department of Comparative Political Science at RUDN University, noted in an interview with RT, the fact that a number of European countries have declared their non-recognition of the legitimacy of the Belarusian leader is quite understandable.

“The European countries have already taken a decisive course towards dismissing Lukashenka from the post of President of Belarus,” the expert said.

According to the teacher of the RANEPA Sergei Margulis, the leaders of European countries

with their statements, they indirectly support the opposition, which is in favor of Lukashenka's resignation.

“Of course, the statements of the foreign ministers of the EU countries will not help the Belarusian opposition come to power.

But the help of the West will definitely help her to consolidate people around her.

At the same time, there is still no talk of the use of force to overthrow the authorities, "the expert explained in a commentary on RT.

"The West is using the situation"

On September 23, the inauguration ceremony of Alexander Lukashenko as President of Belarus took place at the Palace of Independence in Minsk.

According to the Belarusian news agency BelTA, the ceremony was attended by several hundred guests from among the highest officials of the republic, culture, science and sports.

It is noted that information about the time of the inauguration was not disclosed until the very last moment.

A few hours before the ceremony, Lukashenko's press secretary Natalya Eismont told RIA Novosti that she could not yet name a date for the inauguration.

“I can only say for now that closer to the time of the inauguration, we will definitely inform you,” the agency quotes her statement.

  • Protests in Minsk

  • Reuters

  • © BelaPAN

Recall that the presidential elections in Belarus took place on August 9, 2020.

According to official data, Alyaksandr Lukashenka received 80.1% of the vote.

The turnout in the country as a whole was 84.28%.

The Coordinating Council of the Opposition of Belarus has already commented on the news of the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko.

As reported in the statement of a member of the presidium of the council Pavel Latushko, we are talking about "an unprecedented situation."

“We will never accept falsification and demand new elections!

We call on everyone to start an indefinite action of disobedience! ”- said Latushko.

Lukashenka's rival in the presidential elections Svetlana Tikhanovskaya published a video message on this occasion.

She called the inauguration a "farce" and said that in reality Lukashenka today "just retired."

Tikhanovskaya identified herself as the only leader elected by the Belarusian people and announced EU support.

“The countries of Europe support the Belarusian people in their demand to stop the violence, free political prisoners and hold new - fair and transparent - elections.

They are ready to provide real help - there are serious investment packages that are envisaged for Belarus after the victory of democracy, ”Tikhanovskaya said.

It should be noted that the position of European countries on the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko did not come as a big surprise.

Earlier, the European Parliament has already adopted a resolution in which it refused to recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate leader of Belarus, and also announced that it supports the introduction of sanctions against Belarusian officials responsible for falsifying the elections.

In addition, the foreign ministers of the EU member states took a similar position.

This was announced by the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.

According to him, during the meeting, the European ministers "made a powerful signal" about the lack of recognition of Lukashenka's legitimacy in connection with the falsification of the elections.

“We consider these elections to be rigged, we do not recognize their results and therefore do not recognize the legitimacy of Lukashenka,” Borrell stressed.

However, experts doubt that the European Union will agree to a real rupture of trade, economic and other ties with Belarus, despite the loud statements of European politicians.

  • Josep Borrell

  • Reuters

  • © Olivier Hoslet / Pool

“There will be no break in interaction, but information pressure on Minsk and support for the Belarusian opposition will continue.

The West is now using the situation to launch a campaign to change the political regime in Belarus.

In fact, Western countries use this model quite often, using both soft and hard power in order to set some countries on the “true path” from a Western point of view, ”Yuri Pochta believes.

According to the expert, today the economic ties between the EU and Belarus that have been developed in recent years will remain, and the EU will not resort to too harsh economic restrictions.

However, at the same time, the West will form a government in exile abroad, headed by Tikhanovskaya.

“This creates serious pressure on the current leadership of Belarus.

Europe supports the opposition financially and politically, ”the expert added.

Sergey Margulis adheres to a similar point of view.

According to the expert, the European Union will not sever economic ties with Belarus now.

“The European ministers have not yet agreed on sanctions against Belarus.

The EU does not want Russia to remain the only trade and economic partner for Belarus, so there will be no complete break, ”the expert summed up.