Al-Assad responds to Western criticism: "the value of your opinions is zero."

Today, Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, after casting his vote in the city of Douma, near Damascus, denounced recent Western criticisms that questioned the integrity of the presidential elections taking place in his country, considering that its value is "zero".

The foreign ministers of the United States, Germany, Britain, France and Italy considered in a joint statement yesterday that the Syrian presidential elections "will not be free nor fair."

They urged the international community to "unequivocally reject this attempt by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to regain legitimacy," according to the statement.

Al-Assad, accompanied by his wife Asma, before noon Wednesday, cast their vote in the city of Douma, which was considered one of the most prominent strongholds of the factions in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, before being expelled from it in the spring of 2018.

On the impact of slogans of support from those around him, most notably "With our soul and blood we sacrificing you, Bashar," Al-Assad criticized in statements to journalists what he called "the recent stances issued by Western countries, most of which have a colonial history ... commenting on the elections, evaluating them and determining their legitimacy and illegality."

He said, "Of course, we, as a state, do not accept such behavior at all, but the most important thing that the state says or is silent about is what the people say," adding: "I think that the movement that we saw during the past weeks was the sufficient and clear response when he said to them: The value of your opinions is. Zero and your value is ten zeros. "

Last Thursday, tens of thousands of Syrians participated in the voting process in their country's embassies and consulates on the day designated for residents outside Syria, who hold valid passports and left the country legally, which does not apply to the millions of refugees who fled the country.

Al-Assad, who is preparing to win a fourth presidential term of seven years, stressed Wednesday that "the Syrian citizen is free" and his decision is in his own hands "and not in the hands of any other party."

Polling stations opened their doors, according to the official Syrian News Agency (SANA), at 7 am (0400 GMT).

Syrian TV showed scenes showing long lines of voters forming in front of it in a number of regions.

Al-Assad, 55, took the phrase "hope for work" as a slogan for his election campaign, in an attempt to highlight his future role in the reconstruction phase, after two decades he spent in office.

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