"The so-called elections organised in Belarus on 26 January 2025 do not meet the minimum international standards for democratic elections and lack any democratic credibility, and there are no grounds for recognising the legitimacy of Aliaksandr Lukashenka as president," the Parliamentary Assembly concluded at the end of an urgent debate on 'The urgent need for free and fair elections in Belarus'.
The Assembly therefore called on Council of Europe member states to reject the legitimacy of these elections, "to make clear their non-recognition of the election of Aliaksandr Lukashenka to the post of President of Belarus" and "take decisive steps to broaden and intensify targeted sanctions against the regime and those who support its unlawful activities."
The resolution adopted, based on the report prepared by Ryszard Petru (Poland, ALDE), also calls on member states to "continue and intensify support for the structures of the Belarusian democratic forces," led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, "maintain and expand efforts to investigate human rights abuses" and "actively support mechanisms that ensure accountability for those responsible", as well as "explore measures to facilitate entry and stay in safe and dignified conditions" for Belarusian citizens who flee the Lukashenka regime.
The Assembly welcomed the establishment of a representative delegation of Belarusian democratic forces to the PACE, present in the hemicycle during the debate. Addressing the parliamentarians, Angelika Melnikova, a member of the delegation and Speaker of the Coordination Council, said this was "a crucial motivation for us and a clear signal of your support to all of us in our struggle for freedom".
She recalled that there are "over 1,200 political prisoners, at least seven of whom have been tortured to death; all eleven opposition parties have been outlawed; more than 1,800 non-governmental organisations and all independent media have been liquidated; at least 300,000 Belarusians have been forced into exile and all our citizens abroad are now deprived of their voting rights".
"Democracy will prevail only when justice is served. The Belarusian people are a European nation. Our history and culture are an integral part of Europe's historical heritage. But it's equally important for us to be a part of Europe's future", she concluded.
