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'Focus on your own issues', echoes Lukashenko while EU convenes to discuss Belarus crisis

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Aug 19, 2020, 07:42 PM IST
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A file photo of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Photograph:(Reuters)

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"Those who today, especially abroad... are plotting against us, will get a serious rebuff, " he said.

Belarus President Lukashenko who is facing immense pressure from around the globe to allow reelections in the country after the August 9 is largely believed to be rigged on Wednesday responded to global powers calling for his resignation.

"The leaders of the Western countries offer us negotiations, conversations. And at this time they continue to hunt their line. We also see it, understand it, but do not accept it. I want them to hear it”, Belarus President Lukashenko said.

"Those who today, especially abroad... are plotting against us, will get a serious rebuff, " he said.

He made this statement while the European Union held an emergency meeting over the situation in Belarus.

"The whole country is overwhelmingly busy with work, nevertheless, difficulties in terms of the socio-political situation remain. We see this. As I said yesterday, we can not calm down. Those who want to calm us down, will not succeed”, Lukashenko said.

No interefence?

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel during the EU meet said that there can be no external intervention in Belarus affairs.

Russia, Belarus’ closest ally on Wednesday said that they felt no need for Russia to help Belarus militarily or in any other form.

"As far as the collective security treaty and union state treaty are concerned, it is true that there are various obligations between the sides for mutual help, but there is currently no such need”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

EU's rhetoric gets stronger

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko "lacks democractic legitimacy" after an election victory which is largely disputed, top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.

The EU had earlier announced that they’re working on a new round of sanctions against Belarus. This would target those who were involved in allegedly rigging the August 9 votes, as well as in forcibly repressing protests.

The meeting began with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte saying that the EU simply “cannot accept the result of these elections”.

Tikhanovskaya, the main challenger in Belarus's disputed presidential election had said on Monday that she was ready to take over the country's leadership after a wave of protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. She had urged EU leaders "not to recognise these fraudulent elections". 

"I did not want to be a politician. But fate decreed that I'd find myself on the frontline of a confrontation against arbitrary rule and injustice," Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said in a new video from exile in Lithuania.