January 22, Pozirk. The European Parliament voted 567 to 25 to urge the European Union to reject the Belarusian presidential election coming up on January 26 as a sham, the European Parliament’s website says, citing the recently adopted resolution.
The document denounces politically-motivated reprisals and the abuse of democratic principles in Belarus, which intensified in the run-up to the election.
MEPs reiterate their non-recognition of Alaksandar Łukašenka as president, noting the illegitimate nature of the Belarusian authorities and expressing support for the Belarusian people in their quest for democracy, freedom and human rights.
Belarus’ seventh presidential election scheduled for January 21-26 is taking place in a purged political landscape amid a new wave of crackdown on regime critics.
The presidential bidders are Łukašenka, in power since 1994, his supporters Aleh Hajdukievič, Alaksandar Chižniak and Siarhiej Syrankoŭ. Another candidate is Hanna Kanapackaja, a former member of the United Civic Party and an MP from 2016 to 2019, who also ran for president in 2020. She positions herself as a “democratic alternative,” yet criticizes Łukašenka’s exiled or jailed opponents rather than himself.
Political reprisals prevent pro-democracy candidates from running and voters from freely expressing their will, Belarusian opposition said earlier.
Belarus has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
