{"id":114594,"date":"2024-11-20T12:11:37","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T09:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/114594\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"estonias-fm-notes-atmosphere-of-terror-in-belarus-ahead-of-presidential-vote","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/114594\/","title":{"rendered":"Estonia\u2019s FM notes \u201catmosphere of terror\u201d in Belarus ahead of presidential vote"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Estonia's foreign ministry)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

November 20, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>Estonia will not recognize the upcoming presidential vote in Belarus as it is set to take place in an \u201catmosphere of terror,\u201d Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said after meeting Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja in Tallinn yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presidential election on January 21-26 \u201ccannot meet democratic norms,\u201d the Estonian foreign ministry\u2019s press office quoted him as saying. \u201cWe must ramp up sanctions against [Alaksandar] Luka\u0161enka\u2019s regime to make him realize that his selling his country and people to Russia is unacceptable.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tsahkna also announced Estonia’s contribution of \u20ac30,000 to the International Humanitarian Fund set up by the Belarusian opposition to support political prisoners and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor a long time now, Estonia has considered it very important to support the opposition and political prisoners of Belarus, and we will continue working towards the release of all political prisoners,\u201d the diplomat stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tallinn welcomes all steps aimed at holding Belarusian officials accountable and supports Lithuania\u2019s proposal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an investigation into crimes against humanity in Belarus, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cichano\u016dskaja presented Tsahkna with the Cross of Good Neighborhood for supporting the Belarusian opposition. Her two-day visit to Estonia also featured meetings with other ministers and top politicians.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus will hold its seventh presidential election from January 21 to 26, with the whole election cycle limited to just three months. The previous 2020 presidential race was marred by police brutality against peaceful protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian opposition dismissed the election as a sham, noting that political reprisals prevent pro-democracy candidates from running and voters from freely expressing their will. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-democracy forces called on supporters to protest the election \u201cby voting against all those who steal our right to vote.\u201d By voting \u201cagainst all\u201d the Belarusian public will demonstrate that it continues to oppose \u0141uka\u0161enka and demands free and fair elections, the opposition said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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