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Election official condemns European Parliament`s demand for new elections as counterproductive

The European Parliament’s demand for a re-run of Belarus’ December 14-19 presidential election is a counterproductive step, Mikalay Lazavik, secretary of the central election commission, told BelaPAN, commenting on the EP’s Thursday resolution on the government’s post-election crackdown on opponents.

The resolution reveals the European Parliament’s “complete ignorance about the situation in Belarus,” Mr. Lazavik said. “The Belarusian election was held in strict accordance with Belarusian laws and international standards.”

The official accused the West of orchestrating "disturbances" in Minsk`s Independence Square on the election night.

“Who are they to judge us? It was the forces that financed the disturbances in the square that voted for the resolution. Neither the government nor the president nor the central election commission financed those disturbances. It was politicians in the West who issued instructions.”

Mr. Lazavik said that preparations for the “disturbances” had begun long before the election. “Now their organizers are in anger and try to get some compensation for their indignation over the failed plot,” he stressed.

Mr. Lazavik reiterated that the EP’s assessment of the post-election situation in Belarus "has no bearing on reality". “We were ready for cooperation and took steps to make preparations for the election and its conduct more democratic, but gentlemen in Europe chose to ignore this.”