Six years after the disputed election, memories of the crackdown remain vivid—and a renewed European message is drawing attention in Minsk and beyond.
According to the @EP_President Twitter account, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola made this statement on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the mass protests in Belarus following the 2020 presidential election.
The European Union plans to continue supporting Belarusians fighting for freedom and democratic change in their country. Roberta Metsola made these remarks on the sixth anniversary of the mass protests that followed the 2020 elections.
Six years after people rose up for a new future, their voices could not be silenced. Europe stands shoulder to shoulder with them and will strive to ensure that freedom, freedom of the media, and the will of the Belarusian people prevail in Belarus.
– Roberta Metsola
Belarus will be free.
– Roberta Metsola
Context of the 2020 events
In August 2020, Belarus held presidential elections, after which Alexander Lukashenko was officially declared the winner. According to numerous observers, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya won the first round.
On August 9, mass protests against the falsification of the results began. They were brutally suppressed by the authorities, while opposition figures faced repression.
The EU emphasizes the importance of respecting human rights, civil liberties, and independent media in Belarus. The EU supports the people of Belarus in their pursuit of democratic change. At the same time, long-term support is being coordinated to strengthen freedoms, the rule of law, and openness in the media sphere.