Germany, France and Poland called on the Belarusian authorities to hold fair elections. Joint statement of the Ministers of the three States publishes TASS.
European countries have expressed concern with the current situation in Belarus. They called on Minsk to release political prisoners. The EU also stressed that restrictions on freedom of expression and arrests of protesters by the Belarusian authorities is unacceptable.
July 29, Belarus has detained 33 people who were thought to be mercenaries from PMCs Wagner. According to Belarusian authorities, they came to destabilize the situation before the presidential elections that will be held on August 9. Criminal case about preparation of a terrorist attack.
The founder of the Belarusian high-tech Park Valery Tsepkalo, who was called one of the main rivals of the head of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in the presidential race, left the country in late July. Tsepkalo is not officially registered as a candidate. In late June, the interior Ministry launched a preliminary inquiry about his “illegal activities” at the request of the owner of the group of construction companies, who claims that the politician did not pay him for building a house.
Another contender for the presidency, former head of Belgazprombank Viktor Babariko, is in jail on suspicion of organizing a criminal group to bring hundreds of millions of dollars abroad. Candidate officially registered Svetlana Tikhanovski — wife arrested blogger Sergei Tikhanovski, who is also planning to run. Headquarters Tikhanovski, Babariko and Tsepkalo United.
