Chinanews, August 19th, a comprehensive report, recently, the results of the Belarusian presidential election triggered dissatisfaction with the opposition and protests on the streets. During the protest, some protesters confronted law enforcement officials and caused riots. The current Belarusian President Lukashenko, who was successfully re-elected in the general election, emphasized that his high vote rate in the election cannot be faked and does not require any foreign government or mediator. However, he also said that he is studying a new constitution that can share the power of the president. After the new constitution is passed, presidential elections can be held again.
Data map: Belarusian President Lukashenko. Photo by Liao Pan issued by China News Agency
Violent demonstrations gradually turned into peaceful protests
Opposition leader leaves the country
On August 9, local time, the 2020 presidential election in Belarus came to an end. The current President Lukashenko won more than 80% of the votes and won an overwhelming victory. He will be re-elected as President of Belarus for the sixth time.
However, on the night of the election, some opposition personnel protested in many places because they were dissatisfied with the election results. Subsequently, violent protests and clashes between the police and the police followed, and the situation suddenly became tense. According to the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the riots on the night of the 9th caused hundreds of injuries, including 120 police officers.
In the following days, with the efforts of all parties, the violent demonstrations in Belarus gradually turned into peaceful protests. On August 16, local time, Lukashenko supporters and opponents held a rally in the capital Minsk to express their demands.
Lukashenko said at the rally in support of him that there is no problem of false votes in the Belarusian presidential election. The opposition should not encourage people to go to violent confrontation, lest the country fall into chaos. Approximately 70,000 people who support the government also expressed their hope to maintain the tranquility and peace of the country.
Oppositionists claimed that “the result of the election was falsified” and its “leader” Tikhanovskaya had a higher vote rate.
According to Russian media reports, after the election, Tikhanovskaya quickly left Belarus for Lithuania, and began to "remote" anti-government movements in Belarus.
Data map: Belarusian President Lukashenko.
The opposition incited the people to strike
Lukashenko: Studying the new constitution
According to the Russian Satellite Network report, a few days ago, Tikhanovskaya’s campaign leader Moroz called on Belarusians to “go on a general strike” in order to “cut off the president’s economic source”. Encouraged by the opposition, a number of factories in Belarus recently announced a strike.
On August 17, Lukashenko took a helicopter to the Minsk wheeled tractor plant to appease the workers who threatened to strike. When talking with workers, he said that he is currently studying "a constitutional revision plan aimed at redistributing power." After the revised law became the new constitution by a referendum, he was willing to share the presidential power and surrender (part of) the presidential power in accordance with the constitution.
Lukashenko emphasized that his high vote rate in the election cannot be faked, and he will not re-hold the general election under pressure such as "street protest." He pointed out that "re-elections will not help the situation return to normal, but will also bring a lot of problems." However, he also said that after the new constitution is passed, presidential elections can be held again.
Data map: Belarusian President Lukashenko (pictured left) and Russian President Putin (pictured right).
Multinational forces involved in the situation in Belarus
Lukashenko refuses to interfere in internal affairs
According to reports, Belarus is in a strategic location with Russia in the east, the European Union in the west, and Ukraine in the south. The US "Capitol Hill" published an article entitled "Belarus is a sharp knife at the throat of NATO" on August 16, showing the influence of geopolitical factors in this crisis.
On August 10, local time, the Ministry of Interior of Belarus reported that during the protests on the evening of the 9th, among the demonstrators arrested by the military and police, people from the United States, Britain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and other countries were found.
In addition, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland have formulated plans to mediate the Belarusian crisis and claim that if the mediation task fails, sanctions will be imposed. On the evening of the 14th, EU foreign ministers decided to impose individual sanctions on officials responsible for "suppressing protests" in Belarus.
In addition to public opinion intervention in Belarus, Lukashenko disclosed that some Western troops are still gathering on the western border of Belarus. "The tanks and planes are only 15 minutes away from the Belarusian border," he said.
Regarding external interference, Lukashenko said on the 15th that Belarus has a government established in accordance with the Constitution and "does not require any foreign government or mediator." Lukashenko also pointed out that he and Russian President Putin agreed that the cause of the current chaotic situation in Belarus is not simple.
On August 15th and 16th, Lukashenko had two telephone conversations with Putin. The two presidents focused on discussing the external pressure currently facing Belarus.
Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to assist Belarus in solving the problems it faces within the framework of the Russian-Belarusian Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization when necessary. On the 18th, Putin also had telephone conversations with French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel respectively, emphasizing that outside forces are not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus. (Finish)