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Ambassadors from European Union countries have been called to their capitals for consultations amid massive protests in Belarus over fraud in the presidential elections, TUT.BY reported.
As of October 10, only the ambassadors of two European Union countries remained in Minsk: the Austrian ambassador and the Italian ambassador. This is reported by TUT.BY with reference to the source.
The rest of the ambassadors of the EU countries have been called to their capitals for consultations.
The publication notes that the diplomatic scandal between Belarus and the EU countries began on October 2, when the Belarusian Foreign Ministry demanded that the Polish and Lithuanian embassies reduce the number of diplomats and withdraw the ambassadors for consultations. In response, the EU countries decided to withdraw other accredited ambassadors in Minsk.
In particular, the ambassadors were called by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Romania and Slovakia.
Tensions between Minsk and Brussels have escalated amid massive protests over fake presidential elections, which have been held since August 9. According to official data, the current head of state, Alexander Lukashenko, won the elections. At the same time, alternative exit polls showed a sure victory for the opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
The Belarusian security forces violently dispersed the protesters. They used stun grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons. During the protests, hundreds of protesters were injured and injured and 13,000 people were arrested. According to official figures, four protesters died.
Lukashenka assumed the presidency on September 23. For the first time in the history of Belarus, it was neither announced nor broadcast on television.
Several states, including the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, did not recognize Lukashenko’s inauguration.
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