Hungary blocks joint statement of EU countries on non-recognition of election results in Belarus

Representatives of Hungary have blocked a joint statement by the European Union on the non-recognition of the presidential election in Belarus. Before that, Slovakia also refused to sign the draft statement on behalf of the 27 EU countries but then changed its mind.

This was reported by Radio Liberty, citing informed sources in Brussels. It is noted that despite the lack of signatures from representatives of all states, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, together with European Commissioner for Enlargement, Martha Kos, issued their own statement.

It states that the voting on January 26 in Belarus was not free and fair. The authors called on the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, "including an employee of the EU Delegation," and also called for new sanctions against the country.

"Today's sham elections in Belarus were neither free nor fair. The people of Belarus deserve a real say in who governs their country. Ruthless and unprecedented repression of human rights, restrictions on political participation, and access to independent media in Belarus have deprived the election process of any legitimacy," the joint document says.

Official Budapest, under the leadership of Viktor Orban, has repeatedly opposed the expansion of sanctions against Russia and an increase in European aid to Ukraine. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is the only representative of the EU leadership who regularly visits the Belarusian capital Minsk.

Earlier, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anatoly Glaz issued a statement calling the draft statement of the European External Action Service on the elections in Belarus "the most gross interference in the electoral processes of a sovereign state."

On January 26, Belarus announced that self-proclaimed leader Alexander Lukashenko had won the so-called presidential election with the support of more than 86% of voters. He became the "president" for the seventh time, which makes more than 30 years of his regime's rule (since 1994).

As reported by OBOZ.UA, German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock commented on the "elections" in Belarus by publishing several posts on the social network X. She emphasized that the country's population had no choice: it was "a bitter day for everyone who wants freedom and democracy."

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