Belarus

UPDATED: EU says Belarus’ Lukashenko not legitimate president

President Alexander Lukashenko is not the legitimate president of Belarus, the European Union said on Thursday, saying his abrupt swearing-in on Wednesday went directly against the will of the people.…

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Germany does not recognise Lukashenko as Belarus president after swearing in

Germany still does not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as president of Belarus even after his inauguration on Wednesday, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Lukashenko was sworn in for a new term…

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UPDATED: Lukashenko abruptly sworn in for new presidential term in Belarus

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus was sworn in for a new term on Wednesday, the official news agency Belta said, in a sudden inauguration conducted with no prior announcement. The…

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EU foreign policy chief ‘will do whatever he can’ for Belarus sanctions

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said he will do whatever he can for sanctions against Belarus to be adopted. "It is becoming a personal commitment because I understand clearly…

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Belarus opposition appeal to EU fails to unblock sanctions

European Union foreign ministers failed to agree sanctions against Belarusian officials on Monday, despite an appeal by the country's main opposition leader. After a sixth straight weekend of huge protests…

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Lithuania, Poland and Romania to ask EU leaders to offer trade, visa-free travel to Belarus

The presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania will ask European Union leaders at a summit later this week to offer a support package for Belarus if the country holds a…

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Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Brussels for an informal meeting with EU Foreign Ministers

On Monday Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrived in Brussels, Belgium, for an informal breakfast with EU Foreign Ministers. More than 100,000 people marched through Minsk on Sunday on the…

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Hackers leak personal data of 1,000 Belarusian police on weekend of protests

Anonymous hackers leaked the personal data of 1,000 Belarusian police officers in retaliation for a crackdown on street demonstrations against veteran President Alexander Lukashenko, as protesters geared up for another…

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Belarus warns EU against inviting Lukashenko’s rival to meeting

The foreign ministry in Belarus warned that it saw the possible participation of opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in an EU ministerial meeting as an interference in domestic affairs, the Belta…

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EU set to miss Monday’s deadline for sanctions on Belarus

The European Union is likely to miss its own Monday deadline for imposing sanctions on Belarus, three diplomatic sources told Reuters, stalled by a lack of unanimity among member states…

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CorporateDispatchPRO The Journal – Edition 10

A lot is said about Corporate Governance and its importance to sustainable profitability, but in the post-covid world Corporate Governance is redefining the role of the business community in the…

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U.N. investigator on Belarus warns of ‘another Iron curtain’

A U.N. investigator warned of the possibility of "another Iron curtain" descending in Europe during an urgent debate on the human rights situation in Belarus in Geneva on Friday. The…

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Seventeen OSCE members appoint experts to investigate Belarus election

Seventeen members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have appointed an independent team of experts to investigate alleged rights violations in Belarus' August presidential election, Denmark…

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Putin throws $1.5 billion lifeline to embattled Belarus leader

Russian President Vladimir Putin bestowed a $1.5 billion loan on Belarus on Monday in a gesture of support for its leader Alexander Lukashenko, who flew to entreat his patron for help after five…

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U.N. human rights chief says reports of Belarus violence are alarming

The United Nations human rights chief said on Monday her office was receiving "alarming reports" of the ongoing violent repression of peaceful demonstrations in Belarus. "Reports continue to indicate unnecessary…

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Police in Belarus detained 774 people at protests on eve of Putin summit

Police detained 774 people on Sunday at huge anti-government protests across Belarus, including 500 people detained in the capital Minsk, the Belarusian Interior Ministry said on Monday. At least 100,000…

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Lukashenko heads to Russia for talks with Putin

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus will seek the backing of Russia’s Vladimir Putin at a crucial meeting on Monday after a fifth consecutive weekend of huge protests demanding that he…

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Over 100,000 Belarus protesters flood streets to demand end of Lukashenko

At least 100,000 Belarusian protesters took to the streets of Minsk on Sunday in one of the biggest demonstrations yet against President Alexander Lukashenko after he claimed a landslide victory…

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EU seeks urgent debate on Belarus at U.N. rights body

The European Union is requesting an urgent debate on Belarus at the top U.N. rights body next week, describing a “deterioration” in the situation there, a letter written by the…

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Diplomats say Turkey-Cyprus dispute holding up EU’s Belarus sanctions

European Union sanctions on Belarus are being delayed by a separate dispute between Cyprus and Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, four EU diplomats said, in the latest…

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Belarus opposition leader says authorities threatened to kill her

Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova said security officers put a bag over her head and threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine earlier this…

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EU sanctions against Belarus should target Lukashenko – Germany’s Weber

The European Union must impose sanctions on Belarus in response to a crackdown on opposition protests and the measures should also target President Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of the bloc's…

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Reports Belarusian protest leader detained by masked men

Unidentified masked men detained prominent Belarusian protest leader Maria Kolesnikova in central Minsk on Monday morning and drove her off in a minivan, the Belarusian Tut.By media outlet cited a…

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EU to blacklist 31 Belarus senior officials over election, diplomats say

The European Union aims to impose economic sanctions on 31 senior Belarus officials including the country’s interior minister by mid-September, three EU diplomats said, in response to an Aug. 9…

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Security forces crack down on mass protest in Belarus

Security forces in Belarus detained scores of protesters and were filmed beating a man as he lay on the street, as the authorities launched a crackdown on mass demonstrations against…

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Concern in Belarus as masked men arrest protesting students

Masked security agents dragged students off the streets and bundled them into vans as new protests broke out against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday on the fourth weekend since…

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Lithuania says EU’s inaction over Belarus undermines foreign policy credibility

The European Union’s lack of action over Belarus is undermining the credibility of its foreign policy, Lithuanian foreign affairs minister Linas Linkevicius told the Financial Times newspaper in an interview…

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Belarusian opposition activist Kovalkova seeks refuge in Poland

Belarusian opposition activist Olga Kovalkova arrived in the Polish capital Warsaw on Saturday, saying she had been forced by authorities in her homeland to leave the country. Kovalkova, a senior…

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European bishops demand Belarus allow return of Catholic leader

Roman Catholic bishops urged Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko to let its most senior cleric come back into the country. Minsk’s archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz (photo), who has angered Lukashenko by defending…

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U.S. troops to start extended exercises in Lithuania amid tensions over Belarus

U.S. troops and tanks will arrive in Lithuania on Friday for a two-month deployment near the Belarus border, but the government said the move was not a message to its…

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Russian PM to visit Belarus on Thursday amid preparations for joint military drills

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit Belarus for talks on Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, as Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko faces the biggest political crisis of his 26…

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Sanctions on Belarus and Lukashenko on the global agenda

Canada, the United States, the European Union and Britain are discussing possible sanctions against Belarus over its crackdown against protests following a disputed election, a Canadian source directly familiar with…

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Lukashenko considers re-routing Belarusian cargo because of sanctions

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that he was ready to re-route Belarusian cargo from Baltic ports to Russian ports in response to sanctions imposed by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the…

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New protests in Belarus

Thousands of students boycotted the start of the school year in Belarus on Tuesday and signs of a possible rift appeared in an opposition alliance that has led weeks of…

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Baltic states impose sanctions on Lukashenko and other Belarus officials

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia imposed travel bans on President Alexander Lukashenko and 29 other Belarusian officials on Monday, signalling impatience with the West’s cautious approach by announcing sanctions without waiting…

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Borell calls for fresh elections in Belarus

The EU’s foreign policy chief has called for a new election in Belarus under the supervision of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The “best solution would be…

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Photo Story : Power to the people

Belarus woman speaks with policemen during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus, 30 August 2020. Opposition protests in Belarus continue against alleges poll-rigging…

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‘Happy Birthday, you rat’ – Protesters chant in Belarus

Belarusians chanting “Happy Birthday, you rat” and flying red-and-white opposition flags gathered near President Alexander Lukashenko’s residence on Sunday as protesters kept up pressure on the veteran leader to resign,…

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Putin and Lukashenko to meet in Moscow – Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko have agreed to meet in Moscow in coming weeks, the Kremlin said on Sunday. The two leaders have not met since…

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Tensions simmer as Poland calls Lukashenko’s words unacceptable, Belarus puts half of army combat ready

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko’s comments that Warsaw may be plotting to seize part of the country if its political crisis worsened are unacceptable, Krzysztof Szczerski, an aide to Poland’s president,…

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Belarus detains around 20 journalists preparing to cover protests

Belarusian police detained around 20 journalists preparing to cover a protest in central Minsk on Thursday and confiscated their telephones and identity documents, a Reuters witness said. The Interior Ministry…

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Poland warns against Russia’s military intervention in Belarus

Russia should not intervene militarily in Belarus under the pretence of restoring control there, Polish Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on…

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Tech firms threaten to quit Belarus after crackdown, internet outages

For Belarus's thriving tech industry, it didn't matter much that the country's president referred to the internet as "garbage" and state factories as the engine of economic success. Until now.…

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NATO chief says Lukashenko must respect fundamental rights

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday to respect fundamental rights and said it would be unjustified to use the defence alliance as an excuse…

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Belarus jails two opposition members

Belarus jailed two opposition leaders for 10 days on Tuesday as the government pursued a crackdown on the few figures still at large, while schoolteachers led a new protest of…

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Tsikhanouskaya hopes dialogue with Belarusian authorities will start soon

Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has led the biggest challenge to Alexander Lukashenko’s 26-year rule, hopes a dialogue with the authorities will start soon, she told Polish Gazeta…

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Lithuanians stand in vast chain of support for Belarus opposition

Lithuanians stood in a 35,000-strong human chain stretching 34 km (21 miles) from central Vilnius to the Belarus border on Sunday to show support for protesters in Belarus and opposition…

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Belarus protesters flood Minsk

Tens of thousands of protesters demanding President Alexander Lukashenko step down flooded into Minsk on Sunday, at one point staging a brief demonstration near his residence, as the Belarus army…

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Lukashenko orders army to defend Belarus’ borders

Claims by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that "foreign powers" are organising a build-up of troops on the country's border are baseless, says NATO. Dressed in military fatigues, the president said…

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Belarus opposition leader to meet US Deputy Secretary of State

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will meet U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Lithuania on Monday as part of efforts to defuse the crisis over disputed elections, her…

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Belarusians will never accept Lukashenko – Tsikhanouskaya

Belarusians "will never accept" President Alexander Lukashenko's leadership, exiled opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Friday during a press conference in Lithuania, DW reports. "It should be clear to the…

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Calls for more strikes in Belarus to force new elections

Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Friday called on her supporters to step up their strikes at factories across the country to try to force new presidential elections. "I ask…

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Lukashenko steps up efforts to reassert control, EU announces sanctions

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has stepped up efforts to reassert his control after 10 days of street protests and strikes triggered by disputed elections. The official result gave him 80%…

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Kremlin says it sees no need to help Belarus militarily

The Kremlin said on Wednesday there was no need for Russia to help Belarus militarily or otherwise amid the unrest over its contested Aug. 9 presidential election and that Belarus…

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Belarusian opposition leader asks EU not to recognise election result

Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya appealed to European Union leaders on Wednesday not to recognise what she said were fraudulent presidential elections, urging the bloc to respect the choice of…

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Lukashenko decries ‘attempt to seize power’

The nascent political opposition in Belarus set up a council inside the country, a move President Alexander Lukashenko denounced as an attempt to seize power 10 days after an election…

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Belarus President hints at new wave of repression

Belarusian president has hinted at a new wave of repression, in another sign he is seeking to outlast a protest movement that has brought him face-to-face with former supporters calling…

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