Belarus Raises Pressure on Opposition as EU Calls for Dialog
Belarus Opposition Leader Urges EU to Reject Lukashenko Poll Win
(Bloomberg) -- Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko took a more aggressive stance toward the biggest protests in his 26-year rule as the leaders of the European Union refrained from calling for new elections.
“There should be no more riots in Minsk,” Lukashenko said Wednesday as he ordered the Interior Ministry to clamp down on peaceful protests in the capital, according to the state-run Belta news service. “People are tired, people demand peace and quiet.”
The comments came after several days of relative calm following a crackdown on opposition protests that erupted after Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in the Aug. 9 election. At least three people were killed as police beat demonstrators and detained nearly 7,000, allegedly torturing some of those in custody. Undeterred, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the capital, Minsk, and other cities to demand Lukashenko’s resignation.
In response to the violence and protests, the EU’s 27 leaders held a private conference call on Wednesday, with the bloc calling for “dialog” between the two sides in the disputed election, and for a peaceful transition of power.
Russia, Belarus’ closest ally, has shown increasing signs of support for Lukashenko. On Wednesday, the two countries’ prime ministers discussed strengthening economic ties while Moscow has ramped up its rhetoric, warning the West against geopolitical interference.
The Kremlin sees attempts at outside interference in Belarus as part of a struggle for influence in the countries of the former Soviet Union, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with state TV Wednesday.
“This does not mean the election was perfect,” Lavrov said, according to a transcript on the ministry’s website. “This is also recognized by the Belarusian leadership, which is trying to start a dialog with citizens protesting against what they consider to be infringements of their rights.”
The Belarusian opposition held the first meeting of a coordinating council representing its various factions, and said that the authorities were refusing to hold talks.
“We have noticed the reaction of the European Union and the reaction of Russia,” council member Pavel Latushko said at a press conference after the meeting. “If negotiations are conducted between representatives of the public and the Belarusian authorities without the participation of foreign states, this is the best option.”
While some EU governments called for fresh elections, the bloc wanted to make clear its disapproval without being seen to be forcing Belarus to choose between Europe and Russia, officials said.
Lukashenko has responded with hostility to European pressure. In a show of force, he ordered the military to deploy in “full combat readiness” to the country’s EU borders on the eve of the leaders’ summit, complaining of unspecified security threats.
Belarus authorities haven’t asked for Russian assistance under a collective defense pact, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call Wednesday.
Belarus Eurobonds due in 2031 rose for a second day, paring losses after falling to the lowest since the bond was first traded in June earlier this week. The yield has risen 59 basis points so far this month to 7.47%.
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Belarus crisis in separate calls with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday. Lukashenko said Putin then informed him of the conversations, marking the third time they spoke since the weekend.
Merkel said Lukasenko would not accept her calls.
““President Lukashenko has denied every phone call, which I regret,” Merkel told reporters after the talks. . You can only mediate when you’re in contact with all sides.”
Opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged European leaders to “support the awakening of Belarus” in a new video address in English from exile in Lithuania.
Tikhanovskaya, who insists she won the election, said in the video the coordination council will press for a peaceful transition of power and a new presidential ballot under international supervision.
Lukashenko said setting up alternative structures “with the goal of seizing power is illegal,” and he threatened to punish those involved, according to Belta.
The Kremlin was betting before the election that Lukashenko would manage to extend his rule for a sixth term, while also becoming more dependent on Russia as his harsh tactics alienated the West and made him vulnerable to Moscow’s demands for tighter political and economic integration.
The opposition has sought to reassure Russia about future relations as nationwide strikes continued in many state-run enterprises against Lukashenko’s rule.
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