Borell confirms EU preparing sanctions for Lukashenko, are new elections possible?

BRUSSELS, (Patria) - The European Union does not recognize Alexander Lukashenko as the President of Belarus and is preparing sanctions against officials of the ruling regime in that country, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell said on Tuesday.

“We consider that the elections on August 9 were not fair and we do not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus,” Borrell said during a debate at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels.

He stated that the sanctions should be adopted before the European Council on September 24 and 25.

The European Union is also reviewing relations with Belarus to “identify areas where contacts should be suspended or reconsidered, those where there is an interest in participating, even intensifying them, and supporting the Belarusian people and civil society, and areas where it can provide additional assistance if there is an evolution towards a new democratic Belarus,” Borrell said.

Borrell criticized the continuation of repression in Belarus, where “more than 7,500 peaceful protesters have been arrested and 500 cases of torture have been recorded and documented.”

“If the situation continues to worsen, additional sanctions will be considered (...) We call on the Belarusian authorities to find a way out of the crisis by stopping violence and illegal detentions and by launching an inclusive national dialogue,” and the EU is ready to “support any credible initiative” in this regard, he said.

Borrell said that new elections under the supervision of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) would be the best option, but also noted that they have not yet been able to contact the Belarusian authorities at any level.

“Lukashenko’s determination to stay in power with the apparently growing support of Moscow makes all this difficult,” concluded Borrell, a day after Lukashenko’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.