The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, warned in a debate in the European Parliament on Tuesday 15 September that, following the fraudulent elections of 9 August, the EU did not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate President of Belarus.
“Re-doing the elections under OSCE supervision would be the best solution”, Mr Borrell added, saying that Mr Lukashenko’s determination to remain in power with “seemingly growing support from Moscow” made “all this difficult”.
Mr Borrell revealed that it had been impossible for Europeans to contact the Belarusian authorities at any level.
According to the High Representative, the sanctions, promised as early as mid-August, “are under discussion in Council working groups with a view to adoption as soon as possible”, i.e., “before the European Council, if European credibility is to be maintained”.
The EU is examining its relations with the country, according to Mr Borrell, in order to identify areas where contacts should be suspended or reduced, those where the EU’s interest is “to engage and even intensify contacts” in support of the people and civil society, and finally, areas where the EU could provide additional assistance if there is a move towards a new democratic Belarus. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)