The Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki

Marybelle Hyon/KPRM / Flickr

Alexander Lukashenko at a polling station, 9 August 2020

The official Internet portal of the President of the Republic of Belarus

The Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki took the initiative to convene an emergency summit of the European Union on the situation in Belarus. The corresponding statement appeared on the official website of the Polish government.

“Poland is responsible for its nearest neighbors. After the presidential elections in Belarus, which took place on 9 August 2020, the government used force against its citizens who seek change in the country. We need solidarity to support the Belarusian people in their quest for freedom. Hence the initiative of the head of the Polish government that this matter with the European Council”, – stated in the message.

Foreign leader Alexander Lukashenko has congratulated his re-election as the President of China XI Jinping, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The latter expressed hope that the activities of Lukashenka will contribute to the further development of mutually beneficial relations between the two countries. Putin also said that he expects deepening cooperation in the framework of the Union state, the buildup of the integration processes on the Eurasian economic Union and CIS, as well as the strengthening of military-political relations in the organization of collective security Treaty. “This meets the fundamental interests of the fraternal peoples of Russia and Belarus”, – concluded Putin.

Earlier, the Belarusian CEC announced preliminary results of presidential elections August 9: for the incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko voted 80,23% of voters, a key opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovski gained 9.9 percent. The column “against all” was chosen by 6,02% of the voters. The other candidates, according to the CEC received less than two percent of the vote.

The election results led to massive protests in Belarusian cities, including Minsk, police detained at least 213 people. The investigative Committee of Belarus opened a criminal case on the riots in the country and violence against police officers. As the head of the law enforcement agencies Ivan Maskevich during protests, injuring dozens of security forces. There are a lot of victims among the protesters, against whom the police used water cannons, tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets. In several cities, riot police laid down their shields and dispersed the people.